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Melatonin enhances survival and preserves functional integrity of stem cells: A review
Author(s) -
Lee Mel S.,
Yin TsungCheng,
Sung PeiHsun,
Chiang John Y.,
Sun CheukKwan,
Yip HonKan
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of pineal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1600-079X
pISSN - 0742-3098
DOI - 10.1111/jpi.12372
Subject(s) - melatonin , free radical scavenger , oxidative stress , stem cell , pineal gland , clinical trial , ischemia , disease , medicine , inflammation , neuroscience , bioinformatics , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Despite state‐of‐the‐art pharmaceutical regimens, continuous improvements in diagnostic techniques as well as refinements in equipment and interventional procedures, many diseases remain refractory to conventional therapies. Recent advances in stem cell ( SC ) biology have opened an avenue to exploring its therapeutic potential in various disease entities, especially those that are ischemia‐related and refractory to conventional treatment. A number of experimental studies and clinical trials have already demonstrated promising outcomes. On the other hand, SC therapy is associated with major problems. For instance, ischemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress are some of the factors unfavorable for SC survival once SC s are implanted into the ischemic area in an attempt to enhance tissue regeneration and restore organ function. Melatonin, which is originally derived from pineal gland in the regulation of human circadian rhythms and sleep, is a potent free radical scavenger and metal chelator with the capacity to alleviate oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions as well as stabilizing cell membranes. Accumulating data have demonstrated that melatonin‐supported SC therapy is superior to SC alone for improving ischemia‐related organ dysfunction. In this review, we describe and interpret the potential role of melatonin in sustaining the survival and preserving the functional integrity of SC .