Effects of melatonin on the proliferation and differentiation of human neuroblastoma cells in culture.
Since melatonin has direct inhibitory effects on some tumor cells in vitro, the aim of the present work was to study whether the growth and structural characteristics of the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH in vitro are influenced by this indoleamine. Concentrations of melatonin of 10(-9) and 10(-11) M significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) cell proliferation. Subphysiological (10(-13) M) or supraphysiological (10(-7) and 10(-5) M) concentrations of melatonin lacked this effect. After 8 days of exposure to melatonin (10(-9) M), cells showed significantly smaller cell and nuclear sizes than control cells. Melatonin-treated cells presented greater neurite outgrowth than control cells. These results support the hypothesis that melatonin, at physiological concentrations, exerts a direct antiproliferative effect on SK-N-SH cells, promoting the differentiation of neuroblastoma cells.
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
S
S
Cos
R
R
Verduga
C
C
Fernández-Viadero
M
M
Megías
D
D
Crespo
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
D008550:Melatonin