Melatonin / NRF2 Cancer Research Results

MEL, Melatonin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Hormone in the body made by pineal gland.
• Melatonin is a potent antioxidant. It neutralizes reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), which are involved in DNA damage and cancer progression.
• Melatonin has been shown to modulate apoptotic pathways by influencing mitochondrial permeability, cytochrome c release, and caspase activation.
• In several cancer cell models, melatonin appears to promote apoptosis in malignant cells while sparing normal cells.

The most well-known indolamines are serotonin and melatonin, both of which play significant roles in regulating mood, sleep, and overall mental well-being.

Melatonin doses (20 mg to even 40 mg per day), often given as an adjuvant treatment for cancer.
-The plasma half-life of melatonin is generally in the range of approximately 20 to 60 minutes
-It has been suggested that administering melatonin at the appropriate phase of the circadian cycle may enhance its anti-tumor activity and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Bio-availability: Oral melatonin has a low and variable bio-availability (often estimated between 3% and 33%), which means that only a fraction of the ingested dose reaches the bloodstream unchanged.

For proOxidant effect might need >10uM, which might be 100mg dose (assuming 10% bio-availability) Might also be required X10 levels?
-It remains unknown whether the pro-oxidant action exists in vivo. the vast majority of evidence indicates that melatonin is a potent antioxidant in vivo even at pharmacological concentrations.

Interactions:
-Melatonin could potentially add to the blood pressure–lowering properties of antihypertensive drugs.
-Patients using insulin should be monitored for changes in blood glucose levels.
-Melatonin might interact with drugs like warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel.(antiplatelet)


Melatonin Cancer Relevant Pathways
Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Primary Interpretation Notes
1 Circadian signaling (MT1 / MT2 receptors) ↓ proliferative circadian disruption ↑ circadian synchronization Driver Chronobiology normalization Melatonin restores circadian control; cancer cells lose growth advantages from circadian dysregulation
2 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↓ ROS (baseline); context-dependent ↑ stress signaling ↓ ROS (strong buffering) Driver Antioxidant dominance with signaling effects Melatonin is a potent direct and indirect antioxidant; cancer cells may still undergo stress-mediated growth inhibition
3 Mitochondrial function ↓ metabolic flexibility; ↑ apoptosis sensitivity ↑ mitochondrial efficiency Secondary Mitochondrial stabilization vs vulnerability Melatonin improves mitochondrial function in normal cells while limiting metabolic plasticity in cancer cells
4 Estrogen signaling (ERα modulation) ↓ estrogen-driven proliferation ↔ minimal Secondary Hormone-dependent growth suppression Particularly relevant in breast and hormone-responsive cancers
5 NF-κB signaling ↓ inflammatory / survival signaling ↓ inflammatory tone Secondary Anti-inflammatory modulation NF-κB suppression contributes to reduced tumor-promoting inflammation
6 Cell cycle regulation ↓ proliferation / ↑ arrest ↔ spared Phenotypic Cytostatic growth control Growth inhibition reflects upstream circadian and hormonal effects
7 Apoptosis sensitivity ↑ sensitivity to apoptosis (chemo/RT) ↓ apoptosis Phenotypic Therapy sensitization Melatonin enhances response to chemo- and radiotherapy while protecting normal tissue


NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: TCGA
Type: Antiapoptotic
Nrf2 is responsible for regulating an extensive panel of antioxidant enzymes involved in the detoxification and elimination of oxidative stress. Thought of as "Master Regulator" of antioxidant response.
-One way to estimate Nrf2 induction is through the expression of NQO1.
NQO1, the most potent inducer:
SFN 0.2 μM,
quercetin (2.5 μM),
curcumin (2.7 μM),
Silymarin (3.6 μM),
tamoxifen (5.9 μM),
genistein (6.2 μM ),
beta-carotene (7.2μM),
lutein (17 μM),
resveratrol (21 μM),
indol-3-carbinol (50 μM),
chlorophyll (250 μM),
alpha-cryptoxanthin (1.8 mM),
and zeaxanthin (2.2 mM)

1. Raising Nrf2 enhances the cell's antioxidant defenses and ↓ROS. This strategy is used to decrease chemo-radio side effects.
2. Downregulating Nrf2 lowers antioxidant defenses and ↑ROS. In cancer cells this leads to DNA damage, and cell death.
3. However there are some cases where increasing Nrf2 paradoxically causes an increase in ROS (cancer cells). Such as cases of Mitochondial overload, signal crosstalk, reductive stress

-In some cases, Nrf2 is overexpressed in cancer cells, which can lead to the activation of genes involved in cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This can contribute to the development of resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
-Increased Nrf2 expression: Lung, Breast, Colorectal, Prostrate.
Decreased Nrf2 expression: Skine, Liver, Pancreatic.
-Nrf2 is a cytoprotective transcription factor which demonstrated both a negative effect as well as a positive effect on cancer
- "promotes Nrf2 translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus," means facilitates the movement of Nrf2 into the nucleus, thereby enhancing the cell's antioxidant and cytoprotective responses. -Major regulator of Nrf2 activity in cells is the cytosolic inhibitor Keap1.

Nrf2 Inhibitors and Activators
Nrf2 Inhibitors: Brusatol, Luteolin, Trigonelline, VitC, Retinoic acid, Chrysin
Nrf2 Activators: SFN, OPZ EGCG, Resveratrol, DATS, CUR, CDDO, Api
- potent Nrf2 inducers from plants include sulforaphane, curcumin, EGCG, resveratrol, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, wasabi, cafestol and kahweol (coffee), cinnamon, ginger, garlic, lycopene, rosemany

Nrf2 plays dual roles in that it can protect normal tissues against oxidative damage and can act as an oncogenic protein in tumor tissue.
– In healthy tissues, NRF2 activation helps protect cells from oxidative damage and maintains cellular homeostasis.
– In many cancers, constitutive activation of NRF2 (often through mutations in NRF2 itself or loss-of-function mutations in KEAP1) leads to an enhanced antioxidant capacity.
– This upregulation can promote tumor cell survival by enabling cancer cells to thrive under oxidative stress, resist chemotherapeutic agents, and sustain metabolic reprogramming.
– Elevated NRF2 levels have been implicated in promoting tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy in various malignancies.
– High or sustained NRF2 activity is frequently associated with aggressive tumor phenotypes, poorer prognosis, and decreased overall survival in several cancer types.
– While its activation is essential for protecting normal cells from oxidative stress, aberrant or sustained NRF2 activation in tumor cells can lead to enhanced survival, therapeutic resistance, and tumor progression.

NRF2 inhibitors: (to decrease antioxidant defenses and increase cell death from ROS).
-Brusatol: most cited natural inhibitors of Nrf2.
-Luteolin: luteolin can reduce Nrf2 activity in specific cancer models and may enhance cell sensitivity to chemotherapy. However, luteolin is also known as an antioxidant, and its influence on Nrf2 can sometimes be context dependent.
-Apigenin: certain studies to down‑regulate Nrf2 in cancer cells: Dose and context dependent .
-Oridonin:
-Wogonin: although its effects might be cell‑ and dose‑specific.
- Withaferin A

Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
1780- MEL,    Utilizing Melatonin to Alleviate Side Effects of Chemotherapy: A Potentially Good Partner for Treating Cancer with Ageing
- Review, Var, NA
*antiOx↑, *toxicity↓, ChemoSen↑, *eff↑, *mitResp↑, *ATP↑, *ROS↓, *CardioT↓, *GSH↑, *NOS2↓, *lipid-P↓, eff↑, *HO-1↑, *NRF2↑, *NF-kB↑, TumCP↓, eff↑, neuroP↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 1 of 1

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Migration

TumCP↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

ChemoSen↑, 1,   eff↑, 2,  

Functional Outcomes

neuroP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 4

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

antiOx↑, 1,   GSH↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 1,   lipid-P↓, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↓, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

ATP↑, 1,   mitResp↑, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

NF-kB↑, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

eff↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

NOS2↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

CardioT↓, 1,   toxicity↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 13

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells
Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:122  Target#:226  State#:%  Dir#:2
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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