Melatonin prevents cyclophosphamide-induced primordial follicle loss by inhibiting ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis and maintaining AMH expression
Abstract
Cyclophosphaty -45mide (Cyc) chemotherapy in young female cancer patients is associated with an increased risk of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).
This study was designed to investigate the protective role of melatonin (Mel) as an adjuvant against Cyc-induced POI. Female mice received a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) dose of Cyc (75 mg/kg).
Mel protection was achieved in mice after i.p. injection of melatonin (50 mg/kg) every 24 h for four consecutive days prior to chemotherapy initiation and for 14 additional days.
Ovarian reserve testing, hormonal assays for follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), assessment of the oxidative stress status, and measurement of the relative expression of genes in PTEN/AKT/FOXO3a and mitochondrial apoptosis pathways were performed.
The results showed that treatment with 50 mg/kg Mel significantly prevented Cyc-induced over-activation of primordial follicles by maintaining the plasma level of AMH and subsequently preventing litter size reduction in mice treated with Cyc chemotherapy.
Importantly, Mel treatment significantly prevented ovarian granulosa cell loss by inhibiting the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Identifying the protective actions of Mel against Cyc-induced primordial follicle loss has important implications for fertility maintenance in young cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
See also:
- Official Web Site: The Di Bella Method;
- Melatonin use in cancer patients have started in 1974, when melatonin prepared according to Prof. Di Bella’s formulation [...]. For 11 days was administered to the patient, admitted to the general medical ward at the Maggiore-Pizzardi Hospital in Bologna, very slowly (over approx. 8 hours) and intravenously administered 1000 mg of melatonin for 11 days. During the course of each day, the patient was intravenously administered 4 saline drips of 500 ml, each containing ten 25 mg bottles of freeze-dried melatonin, lasting 2 hours, totaling 1000 mg per day. No other drug of any kind was administered in order to ascertain the effect of the MLT without interference [...]. From Melatonin with adenosine solubilized in water and stabilized with glycine for oncological treatment - technical preparation, effectivity and clinical findings;
- About Melatonin - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;
- Publication: Melatonin anticancer effects: Review (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication: Key aspects of melatonin physiology: 30 years of research (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Bromocriptine and/or Cabergoline);
- Somatostatin in oncology, the overlooked evidences - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;
- Publication, 2018 Jul: Over-Expression of GH/GHR in Breast Cancer and Oncosuppressor Role of Somatostatin as a Physiological Inhibitor (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Aug: The Entrapment of Somatostatin in a Lipid Formulation: Retarded Release and Free Radical Reactivity (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of Somatostatin and Vitamin C on the Fatty Acid Profile of Breast Cancer Cell Membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of somatostatin, curcumin, and quercetin on the fatty acid profile of breast cancer cell membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2020 Sep: Two neuroendocrine G protein-coupled receptor molecules, somatostatin and melatonin: Physiology of signal transduction and therapeutic perspectives (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Pleural Mesothelioma: clinical records on 11 patients treated with Di Bella's Method;
- Malignant pleural mesothelioma, stage T3-T4. Consideration of a case study;
- Neuroblastoma: Complete objective response to biological treatment;
- Large B-cells Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Stage IV-AE: a Case Report;
- Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Stage III-B-E: a Case Report;
- Oesophageal squamocellular carcinoma: a complete and objective response;
- Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: clinical records on 17 patients treated with Di Bella's Method;
- Complete objective response to biological therapy of plurifocal breast carcinoma;






