Melatonin, the major secretory product of the pineal gland, not only regulates circadian rhythms, mood, and sleep but also has actions in
neoplastic processes which are being intensively investigated.
Melatonin is a promising molecule which considered a differentiating agent in some
cancer cells at both physiological and pharmacological concentrations. It can also reduce invasive and metastatic status through receptors MT1 and MT2 cytosolic binding sites, including
calmodulin and
quinone reductase II
enzyme, and
nuclear receptors related to orphan members of the superfamily RZR/ROR.
Melatonin exerts oncostatic functions in numerous human
malignancies. An increasing number of studies report that
melatonin reduces the invasiveness of several human
cancers such as
prostate cancer,
breast cancer,
liver cancer,
oral cancer,
lung cancer,
ovarian cancer, etc. Moreover,
melatonin's oncostatic activities are exerted through different biological processes including antiproliferative actions, stimulation of anti-
cancer immunity, modulation of the cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, the modulation of oncogene expression, and via antiangiogenic effects. This review focuses on the oncostatic activities of
melatonin that targeted cell cycle control, with special attention to its modulatory effects on the key regulators of the cell cycle, apoptosis, and
telomerase activity.