title: Does melatonin influence the apoptosis in rat uterus of animals exposed to continuous light?
abstract: Melatonin has been described as a protective agent against cell death and oxidative stress in different tissues, including in the reproductive system. However, the information on the action of this hormone in rat uterine apoptosis is low. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of melatonin on mechanisms of cell death in uterus of rats exposed to continuous light stress. Twenty adult Wistar rats were divided into two groups: GContr (vehicle control) and GExp which were treated with melatonin (0.4 mg/mL), both were exposed to continuous light for 90 days. The uterus was removed and processed for quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR), using PCR-array plates of the apoptosis pathway; for immunohistochemistry and TUNEL. The results of qRT-PCR of GEXP group showed up-regulation of 13 and 7, pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes, respectively, compared to GContr group. No difference in pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax, Fas and Faslg) expression was observed by immunohistochemistry, although the number of TUNEL-positive cells was lower in the group treated with melatonin compared to the group not treated with this hormone. Our data suggest that melatonin influences the mechanism and decreases the apoptosis in uterus of rats exposed to continuous light.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Avenida Doutor Arnaldo, 455. Sala 2113. Cerqueira César, CEP: 01246-923, São Paulo, Brazil. csferreira29@gmail.com.|Laboratory of Structural and Molecular Gynecology (LIM-58), Disciplina de Ginecologia - Departmento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. csferreira29@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cecília S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Structural and Molecular Gynecology (LIM-58), Disciplina de Ginecologia - Departmento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kátia C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Structural and Molecular Gynecology (LIM-58), Disciplina de Ginecologia - Departmento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Maganhin
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology Molecular, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana P R
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Paiotti
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology Molecular, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Celina T F
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manuel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Structural and Molecular Gynecology (LIM-58), Disciplina de Ginecologia - Departmento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edmund C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Baracat
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Structural and Molecular Gynecology (LIM-58), Disciplina de Ginecologia - Departmento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Soares
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D008550:Melatonin / Q000502:physiology*; D017440:Photoperiod; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D008550:Melatonin
keywords: Apoptosis; Continuous light; Female rats; Melatonin