Modulation of autophagy by melatonin via sirtuins in stroke: From mechanisms to therapies.

Sirtuins perform an important effect on the neural cell fate following stroke. Several mechanisms that have been correlated with stroke are oxidative stress, apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy. Autophagy is usually regarded as unitary of the neural cell survival mechanisms. Recently, the importance of the sirtuins effect on autophagy by antioxidant agents for stroke treatment mentioned in various studies. One of these agents is melatonin. Melatonin can modulate autophagy by changing on sirtuin pathways. Melatonin and its metabolites adjust various sirtuins pathways related to apoptosis, proliferation, metastases, autophagy and inflammation in case of stroke. In this review, we will discuss about the modulation of autophagy by melatonin via sirtuins in stroke.