Melatonin (MEL) has been reported to have acute enhancing effects on some aspects of cognition. Recently, we revealed that N1-acetyl-5-methoxyquinuramine (AMK), a brain metabolite of MEL, is much more potent than MEL ...Melatonin (MEL) has been reported to have acute enhancing effects on some aspects of cognition. Recently, we revealed that N1-acetyl-5-methoxyquinuramine (AMK), a brain metabolite of MEL, is much more potent than MEL in converting short-term memory (STM) to long-term memory (LTM) with a single administration immediately after the acquisition trial of the novel object recognition (NOR) task. These data suggest that the memory-enhancing effects of MEL may be mediated by mechanisms independent of the activation of MEL MT1 and MT2 receptors. In the present study, we examined the contribution of MT1 and MT2 receptor-mediated and non-receptor-mediated mechanisms to the acute memory-enhancing effects of MEL using NOR task. Mice were administered with either MEL, AMK, or a highly selective MT1/MT2 receptor agonist ramelteon (RAM) immediately after the acquisition trial and the effects of varying doses of these drugs on both STM and LTM performance were compared. We found that both AMK and RAM were more potent than MEL in both facilitating STM and promoting LTM formation. We also found that pretreatment with luzindole, a MT1/MT2 receptor antagonist, markedly suppressed only the effects of RAM. These results suggest that acutely administered MEL enhances NOR memory through both MT1 and MT2 receptor-mediated and non-receptor-mediated mechanisms.展开更多
Very little is known about the role of melatonin in the trigeminal system, including the function of melatonin receptor 1. In the present study, adult rats were injected with formaldehyde into the right vibrissae pad ...Very little is known about the role of melatonin in the trigeminal system, including the function of melatonin receptor 1. In the present study, adult rats were injected with formaldehyde into the right vibrissae pad to establish a model of orofacial inflammatory pain. The distribution of melatonin re- ceptor 1 and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase in the caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus and trigeminal ganglion was determined with immunohistochemistry and histo- chemistry. The results show that there are significant differences in melatonin receptor 1 expression and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase expression in the trigeminal ganglia and caudal spinal nucleus during the early stage of orofacial inflammatory pain. Our findings sug- gest that when melatonin receptor 1 expression in the caudal spinal nucleus is significantly reduced, melatonin＇s regulatory effect on pain is attenuated.展开更多
Chronic alcohol consumption causes liver steatosis,cell death,and inflammation.Melatonin(MLT)is reported to alleviate alcoholic liver disease(ALD)-induced injury.However,its direct regulating targets in hepatocytes ar...Chronic alcohol consumption causes liver steatosis,cell death,and inflammation.Melatonin(MLT)is reported to alleviate alcoholic liver disease(ALD)-induced injury.However,its direct regulating targets in hepatocytes are not fully understood.In the current study,a cell-based screening model and a chronic ethanol-fed mice ALD model were used to test the protective mechanisms of MLT.MLT ameliorated ethanol-induced hepatocyte injury in both cell and animal models(optimal doses of 10μmol/L and 5 mg/kg,respectively),including lowered liver steatosis,cell death,and inflammation.RNA-seq analysis and loss-of-function studies in AML-12 cells revealed that telomerase reverse transcriptase(TERT)was a key downstream effector of MLT.Biophysical assay found that epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)on the hepatocyte surface was a direct binding and regulating target of MLT.Liver specific knock-down of Tert or Egfr in the ALD mice model impaired MLT-mediated liver protection,partly through the regulation of nuclear brahma-related gene-1(BRG1).Long-term administration(90 days)of MLT in healthy mice did not cause evident adverse effect.In conclusion,MLT is an efficacious and safe agent for ALD alleviation.Its direct regulating target in hepatocytes is EGFR and downstream BRG1-TERT axis.MLT might be used as a complimentary agent for alcoholics.展开更多
Melatonin receptor 1B(MT2,encoded by the MTNR1B gene),a high-affinity receptor for melatonin,is associated with glucose homeostasis including glucose uptake and transport.The rs10830963 variant in the MTNR1B gene is l...Melatonin receptor 1B(MT2,encoded by the MTNR1B gene),a high-affinity receptor for melatonin,is associated with glucose homeostasis including glucose uptake and transport.The rs10830963 variant in the MTNR1B gene is linked to glucose metabolism disorders including gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM);however,the relationship between MT2-mediated melatonin signaling and a high birth weight of GDM infants from maternal glucose abnormality remains poorly understood.This article aims to investigate the relationship between rs10830963 variants and GDM development,as well as the effects of MT2 receptor on glucose uptake and transport in trophoblasts.TaqMan-MGB(minor groove binder)probe quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction(qPCR)assays were used for rs10930963 genotyping.MT2 expression in the placenta of GDM and normal pregnant women was detected by immunofluorescence,western blot,and qPCR.The relationship between MT2 and glucose transporters(GLUTs)or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ(PPARγ)was established by western blot,and glucose consumption of trophoblasts was measured by a glucose assay kit.The results showed that the genotype and allele frequencies of rs10830963 were significantly different between GDM and normal pregnant women(P<0.05).The fasting,1-h and 2-h plasma glucose levels of G-allele carriers were significantly higher than those of C-allele carriers(P<0.05).Besides,the protein and messenger RNA(mRNA)expression of MT2 in the placenta of GDM was significantly higher than that of normal pregnant women(P<0.05).Melatonin could stimulate glucose uptake and GLUT4 and PPARγprotein expression in trophoblasts,which could be attenuated by MT2 receptor knockdown.In conclusion,the rs10830963 variant was associated with an increased risk of GDM.The MT2 receptor is essential for melatonin to raise glucose uptake and transport,which may be mediated by PPARγ.展开更多
Objective Intracranial hemorrhage(ICH),the second most common subtype of stroke,exacerbates the disruption of the blood-brain barrier(BBB),leading to vasogenic edema,plasma protein extravasation,and infiltration of ne...Objective Intracranial hemorrhage(ICH),the second most common subtype of stroke,exacerbates the disruption of the blood-brain barrier(BBB),leading to vasogenic edema,plasma protein extravasation,and infiltration of neurotoxic substances.The clearance capacity of the brain plays a crucial role in maintaining BBB homeostasis and facilitating patient recovery after hemorrhage.This study aimed to investigate the effect of circadian rhythms on BBB function,neuronal damage,and clearance capabilities.Methods The transwell model and hemoglobin were co-cultured to simulate the BBB environment after ICH.After intervention with different light groups,neuronal apoptosis was determined,glial phagocytosis was analyzed,the expression of endogenous clearing-related proteins aquaporin 4(AQP4)and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1(LRP1)was detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence dual standard method,and the expression of the tight junction protein occludin and melatonin receptor 1A(MTNR1A)was quantitatively analyzed.Results Circadian rhythms play a key role in maintaining the integrity of the BBB,reducing oxidative stress-induced neuronal damage,and improving microglial phagocytosis.Meanwhile,the expression of occludin and MTNR1A in neurovascular unit(NVU)co-cultured with hemoglobin improved the expression of AQP4 and LRP1,the key proteins in the NVU's endogenous brain clearance system.Conclusion Circadian rhythm(alternating black and white light)protects the NVU BBB function after ICH,promotes the expression of proteins related to the clearance of the hematoma,provides new evidence for the clinical treatment of patients recovering from ICH,and improves the circadian rhythm to promote brain metabolism and hematoma clearance.展开更多
Sleep-wake disorder is one of the most common nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease(PD).Melatonin has the potential to improve sleep-wake disorder,but its mechanism of action is still unclear.Our data showed th...Sleep-wake disorder is one of the most common nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease(PD).Melatonin has the potential to improve sleep-wake disorder,but its mechanism of action is still unclear.Our data showed that melatonin only improved the motor and sleep-wake behavior of a zebrafish PD model when melatonin receptor 1 was present.Thus,we explored the underlying mechanisms by applying a rotenone model.After the PD zebrafish model was induced by 10 nmol/L rotenone,the motor and sleep-wake behavior were assessed.In situ hybridization and real-time quantitative PCR were used to detect the expression of melatonin receptors and lipid-metabolism-related genes.In the PD model,we found abnormal lipid metabolism,which was reversed by melatonin.This may be one of the main pathways for improving PD sleep-wake disorder.展开更多
文摘Melatonin (MEL) has been reported to have acute enhancing effects on some aspects of cognition. Recently, we revealed that N1-acetyl-5-methoxyquinuramine (AMK), a brain metabolite of MEL, is much more potent than MEL in converting short-term memory (STM) to long-term memory (LTM) with a single administration immediately after the acquisition trial of the novel object recognition (NOR) task. These data suggest that the memory-enhancing effects of MEL may be mediated by mechanisms independent of the activation of MEL MT1 and MT2 receptors. In the present study, we examined the contribution of MT1 and MT2 receptor-mediated and non-receptor-mediated mechanisms to the acute memory-enhancing effects of MEL using NOR task. Mice were administered with either MEL, AMK, or a highly selective MT1/MT2 receptor agonist ramelteon (RAM) immediately after the acquisition trial and the effects of varying doses of these drugs on both STM and LTM performance were compared. We found that both AMK and RAM were more potent than MEL in both facilitating STM and promoting LTM formation. We also found that pretreatment with luzindole, a MT1/MT2 receptor antagonist, markedly suppressed only the effects of RAM. These results suggest that acutely administered MEL enhances NOR memory through both MT1 and MT2 receptor-mediated and non-receptor-mediated mechanisms.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81271166,81371107the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province in China,No.10451008901006145
文摘Very little is known about the role of melatonin in the trigeminal system, including the function of melatonin receptor 1. In the present study, adult rats were injected with formaldehyde into the right vibrissae pad to establish a model of orofacial inflammatory pain. The distribution of melatonin re- ceptor 1 and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase in the caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus and trigeminal ganglion was determined with immunohistochemistry and histo- chemistry. The results show that there are significant differences in melatonin receptor 1 expression and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase expression in the trigeminal ganglia and caudal spinal nucleus during the early stage of orofacial inflammatory pain. Our findings sug- gest that when melatonin receptor 1 expression in the caudal spinal nucleus is significantly reduced, melatonin＇s regulatory effect on pain is attenuated.
基金supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China(82122009,82170605,81873573 and 81970515)Guangdong Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar(2019B151502013,China)。
文摘Chronic alcohol consumption causes liver steatosis,cell death,and inflammation.Melatonin(MLT)is reported to alleviate alcoholic liver disease(ALD)-induced injury.However,its direct regulating targets in hepatocytes are not fully understood.In the current study,a cell-based screening model and a chronic ethanol-fed mice ALD model were used to test the protective mechanisms of MLT.MLT ameliorated ethanol-induced hepatocyte injury in both cell and animal models(optimal doses of 10μmol/L and 5 mg/kg,respectively),including lowered liver steatosis,cell death,and inflammation.RNA-seq analysis and loss-of-function studies in AML-12 cells revealed that telomerase reverse transcriptase(TERT)was a key downstream effector of MLT.Biophysical assay found that epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)on the hepatocyte surface was a direct binding and regulating target of MLT.Liver specific knock-down of Tert or Egfr in the ALD mice model impaired MLT-mediated liver protection,partly through the regulation of nuclear brahma-related gene-1(BRG1).Long-term administration(90 days)of MLT in healthy mice did not cause evident adverse effect.In conclusion,MLT is an efficacious and safe agent for ALD alleviation.Its direct regulating target in hepatocytes is EGFR and downstream BRG1-TERT axis.MLT might be used as a complimentary agent for alcoholics.
基金This work was supported by the Health Commission of Hubei Province Scientific Research Project(No.WJ2021M129)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2021YFC2701502)。
文摘Melatonin receptor 1B(MT2,encoded by the MTNR1B gene),a high-affinity receptor for melatonin,is associated with glucose homeostasis including glucose uptake and transport.The rs10830963 variant in the MTNR1B gene is linked to glucose metabolism disorders including gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM);however,the relationship between MT2-mediated melatonin signaling and a high birth weight of GDM infants from maternal glucose abnormality remains poorly understood.This article aims to investigate the relationship between rs10830963 variants and GDM development,as well as the effects of MT2 receptor on glucose uptake and transport in trophoblasts.TaqMan-MGB(minor groove binder)probe quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction(qPCR)assays were used for rs10930963 genotyping.MT2 expression in the placenta of GDM and normal pregnant women was detected by immunofluorescence,western blot,and qPCR.The relationship between MT2 and glucose transporters(GLUTs)or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ(PPARγ)was established by western blot,and glucose consumption of trophoblasts was measured by a glucose assay kit.The results showed that the genotype and allele frequencies of rs10830963 were significantly different between GDM and normal pregnant women(P<0.05).The fasting,1-h and 2-h plasma glucose levels of G-allele carriers were significantly higher than those of C-allele carriers(P<0.05).Besides,the protein and messenger RNA(mRNA)expression of MT2 in the placenta of GDM was significantly higher than that of normal pregnant women(P<0.05).Melatonin could stimulate glucose uptake and GLUT4 and PPARγprotein expression in trophoblasts,which could be attenuated by MT2 receptor knockdown.In conclusion,the rs10830963 variant was associated with an increased risk of GDM.The MT2 receptor is essential for melatonin to raise glucose uptake and transport,which may be mediated by PPARγ.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82160237)the Key Research and Development Program in Hainan Province(No.ZDYF2023SHFZ104)Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province(No.822MS210).
文摘Objective Intracranial hemorrhage(ICH),the second most common subtype of stroke,exacerbates the disruption of the blood-brain barrier(BBB),leading to vasogenic edema,plasma protein extravasation,and infiltration of neurotoxic substances.The clearance capacity of the brain plays a crucial role in maintaining BBB homeostasis and facilitating patient recovery after hemorrhage.This study aimed to investigate the effect of circadian rhythms on BBB function,neuronal damage,and clearance capabilities.Methods The transwell model and hemoglobin were co-cultured to simulate the BBB environment after ICH.After intervention with different light groups,neuronal apoptosis was determined,glial phagocytosis was analyzed,the expression of endogenous clearing-related proteins aquaporin 4(AQP4)and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1(LRP1)was detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence dual standard method,and the expression of the tight junction protein occludin and melatonin receptor 1A(MTNR1A)was quantitatively analyzed.Results Circadian rhythms play a key role in maintaining the integrity of the BBB,reducing oxidative stress-induced neuronal damage,and improving microglial phagocytosis.Meanwhile,the expression of occludin and MTNR1A in neurovascular unit(NVU)co-cultured with hemoglobin improved the expression of AQP4 and LRP1,the key proteins in the NVU's endogenous brain clearance system.Conclusion Circadian rhythm(alternating black and white light)protects the NVU BBB function after ICH,promotes the expression of proteins related to the clearance of the hematoma,provides new evidence for the clinical treatment of patients recovering from ICH,and improves the circadian rhythm to promote brain metabolism and hematoma clearance.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82071420,82471269)Science and Technology Innovation Project of Xiongan New Area(2023XAGG0073)+2 种基金Jiangsu Provincial Medical Key Discipline(ZDXK202217)Suzhou Technology Development Program(SLJ2021010)Suzhou Key Laboratory(SZS2023015).
文摘Sleep-wake disorder is one of the most common nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease(PD).Melatonin has the potential to improve sleep-wake disorder,but its mechanism of action is still unclear.Our data showed that melatonin only improved the motor and sleep-wake behavior of a zebrafish PD model when melatonin receptor 1 was present.Thus,we explored the underlying mechanisms by applying a rotenone model.After the PD zebrafish model was induced by 10 nmol/L rotenone,the motor and sleep-wake behavior were assessed.In situ hybridization and real-time quantitative PCR were used to detect the expression of melatonin receptors and lipid-metabolism-related genes.In the PD model,we found abnormal lipid metabolism,which was reversed by melatonin.This may be one of the main pathways for improving PD sleep-wake disorder.
