Glenister Rachael, McDaniel Kelly, Francis Heather, Venter Julie, Jensen Kendal, Dusio Giuseppina, Gaudio Eugenio, Glaser Shannon, Meng Fanyin, Alpini Gianfranco
Transl Gastrointest Cancer. 2013 Jan 1;2(1):11-20. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2224-4778.2012.08.03.
Melatonin exerts a multitude of physiological functions including the regulation of the sleep cycle and circadian rhythm. Although the synthesis of melatonin in the pineal gland is regulated by changes in the light/dark cycle, the release of melatonin in the gastrointestinal tract is related to food consumption. Melatonin regulates antioxidative processes and it improves T-helper cell response by stimulating the production of specific cytokines. Melatonin is directly involved in preventing tumor initiation, promotion, and progression in a variety of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract including colorectal cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocarcinoma, and pancreatic carcinoma. This paper is a review of the literature regarding melatonin in the gastrointestinal tract and as a potential therapy for gastrointestinal cancers.
褪黑素发挥多种生理功能，包括调节睡眠周期和昼夜节律。虽然松果体中褪黑素的合成受光/暗周期变化的调节，但胃肠道中褪黑素的释放与食物摄入有关。褪黑素调节抗氧化过程，并通过刺激特定细胞因子的产生来改善辅助性T细胞反应。褪黑素直接参与预防包括结直肠癌、胆管癌、肝癌和胰腺癌在内的多种胃肠道癌症的起始、促进和进展。本文是一篇关于胃肠道中褪黑素以及作为胃肠道癌症潜在治疗方法的文献综述。
