title: Melatonin potentiates cyclic AMP production stimulated by vasoactive intestinal peptide in human lymphocytes.
abstract: The present paper demonstrates the effect of melatonin on cyclic AMP production in human lymphocytes from peripheral blood. Melatonin by itself did not influence cyclic AMP accumulation in these cells at any dose studied; however, the drug potentiated the effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on the cyclic nucleotide production. In the presence of physiological concentrations of VIP (either 1, 10 or 100 pM), melatonin potentiated cyclic AMP production. However, at high doses of VIP (either 1, 10 or 100 nM), melatonin exhibited no such effect. The results suggest that human lymphocytes are a target for melatonin and that it may participate, jointly with VIP, in the regulation of immune function.
authors.affiliation: University of Seville School of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Spain.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lopez-Gonzalez
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osuna
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Guerrero
mesh_terms: D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008550:Melatonin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; C044556:2-iodomelatonin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D008550:Melatonin