The role of melatonin on chemotherapy-induced reproductive toxicity

Abstract

Objectives Reproductive malfunctions after chemotherapy still are a reason of reducing fertility and need specialized intensive care. The aim of this review was to investigate the effect of melatonin on the reproductive system under threatening with chemotherapeutic drugs. Methods To find the role of melatonin in the reproductive system during chemotherapy, a full systematic literature search was carried out based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines in the electronic databases up to 17 April 2017 using search terms in the titles and abstracts. A total of 380 articles are screened according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally, 18 articles were included in this study. Key findings It has been cleared that melatonin has bilateral effects on reproductive cells. Melatonin protects normal cells via mechanisms, including decrease in oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation and modulating mitochondrial function, and sexual hormones. Furthermore, melatonin with antiproliferative properties and direct effects on its receptors improves reproductive injury and function during chemotherapy. On the other hand, melatonin sensitizes the effects of chemotherapeutic drugs and enhances chemotherapy-induced toxicity in cancerous cells through increasing apoptosis, oxidative stress and mitochondrial malfunction. Conclusions The study provides evidence of the bilateral role of melatonin in the reproductive system during chemotherapy.

Melatonin attenuates detrimental effects of diabetes on the niche of mouse spermatogonial stem cells by maintaining Leydig cells

“…The proportion of PCNA-positive cells in the DM group increased in short- and long-term experiments. Anti-apoptosis is regarded as an essential function of melatonin in reproductive cells 31 . Melatonin could substantially reduce the number of apoptotic cells (Fig.…”

Continuous treatment with cisplatin induces the oocyte death of primordial follicles without activation

“…Previous studies reported that continuous treatment with 2 mg/kg cisplatin leads to the activation of primordial follicles without causing apoptosis. [26][27][28][29][30] Thus, molecules suppressing the PI3K-p-AKT-mTORC1 pathway may prevent the loss of primordial follicles. One proposed molecule is melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, MT), a hormone produced and secreted by the pineal gland.…”

Melatonin May Increase Anticancer Potential of Pleiotropic Drugs

“…Most of them confirmed the inhibition of tumor growth through different mechanisms, including apoptosis induction, cell cycle and epigenetics regulation, antioxidant activity, modulation of immunity and tumor microenvironment and regulation of angiogenesis [5]. MEL enhanced chemotherapy-induced toxicity in cancerous cells through increasing apoptosis, oxidative stress and mitochondrial malfunction also alleviated side-effects of chemotherapeutics, including reproductive injury [9,98,158,159,160]. An overcome of radioresistance after MEL administration was reported too [161].…”