title: Regulation of antioxidant enzymes: a significant role for melatonin.
abstract: Antioxidant enzymes form the first line of defense against free radicals in organisms. Their regulation depends mainly on the oxidant status of the cell, given that oxidants are their principal modulators. However, other factors have been reported to increase antioxidant enzyme activity and/or gene expression. During the last decade, the antioxidant melatonin has been shown to possess genomic actions, regulating the expression of several genes. Melatonin also influences both antioxidant enzyme activity and cellular mRNA levels for these enzymes. In the present report, we review the studies which document the influence of melatonin on the activity and expression of the antioxidative enzymes glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutases and catalase both under physiological and under conditions of elevated oxidative stress. We also analyze the possible mechanisms by which melatonin regulates these enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Facultad de Medicina, C/ Julian Claveria, Oviedo, Spain. carro@correo.uniovi.es
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mayo
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sainz
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Antolín
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Russel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000502:physiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004798:Enzymes; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D008550:Melatonin