title: Prooxidant activity of melatonin promotes fas-induced cell death in human leukemic Jurkat cells.
abstract: The antioxidant activity of melatonin (MEL) has been considered to constitute part of its physiological as well as pharmacological effects. However, as described herein we found a profound prooxidant activity of micro- to millimolar concentrations of MEL in the human leukemic Jurkat cell line. This prooxidant effect was increased in glutathione-depleted cells and counteracted by antioxidants. As a consequence MEL promoted fas-induced cell death. These data therefore indicate that MEL may be a modulator of the cellular redox status, but does not necessarily act as an intracellular antioxidant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wölfler
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Caluba
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Abuja
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dohr
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schauenstein
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Liebmann
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D019169:Jurkat Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012235:Rhodamines; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D016877:Oxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012235:Rhodamines; D019014:fas Receptor; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D005978:Glutathione; D008550:Melatonin