title: Melatonin: the dawning of a treatment for fibrosis?
abstract: Fibrosis is a common occurrence following organ injury and failure. To date, there is no effective treatment for this condition. Melatonin targets numerous molecular pathways, a consequence of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions that reduce excessive fibrosis. Herein, we review the multiple protective effects of melatonin against fibrosis. There exist four major phases of the fibrogenic response including primary injury to the organ, activation of effector cells, the elaboration of extracellular matrix (ECM) and dynamic deposition. Melatonin regulates each of these phases. Additionally, melatonin reduces fibrosis levels in numerous organs. Melatonin exhibits its anti-fibrosis effects in heart, liver, lung, kidney, and other organs. In addition, adhesions which occur following surgical procedures are also inhibited by melatonin. The information reviewed here should be significant to understanding the protective role of melatonin against fibrosis, contribute to the design of further experimental studies related to melatonin and the fibrotic response and shed light on a potential treatment for fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.|Department of General Surgery, Beidaihe Sanatorium, Beijing Military Area Command, Qinhuangdao, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Chongxi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Xiaolong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Shouyin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UT Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Russel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.|Department of General Surgery, Beidaihe Sanatorium, Beijing Military Area Command, Qinhuangdao, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin
keywords: fibrosis; melatonin; protective effects