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Mechanisms Involved in the Immunomodulatory Effects of Melatonin on the Human Immune System

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The Pineal Gland and Cancer

Abstract

In this chapter, we review the evidence accumulated during the last 10 years indicating the relationship between the pineal gland and its hormone melatonin and the immune system. A number of experiments have shown that melatonin has immunoenhancing properties that can be observed studying different immune functions in vivo as well as the production of cytokines and other immune messengers in vitro. Moreover, we report evidence for the presence of both typical membrane receptors (Mel1a) for melatonin as well as nuclear receptors in immunocompetent cells. Data presented suggest that the nuclear receptor is the primary mechanism of melatonin to participate in the regulation of cytokines by lymphocytes.

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Authors
  1. Juan M. Guerrero
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  2. Sofia Garcia-Mauriño
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  3. David Pozo
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  4. Antonio Garcia-Pergañeda
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  5. Antonio Carrillo-Vico
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  6. Patrocinio Molinero
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  7. Carmen Osuna
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  8. Juan R. Calvo
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Research in Medical and Natural Sciences, University of Tübingen, Ob dem Himmelreich 7, Tübingen, 72074, Germany

    Christian Bartsch  & Hella Bartsch  & 

  2. Laboratory of Experimental Neuroendocrinology/Oncology, Bassett Research Institute, One Atwell Road, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, USA

    David E. Blask Ph.D.,M.D. (Senior Research Scientist) (Senior Research Scientist)

  3. Department of Physiology Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155, Buenos Aires, 121, Argentina

    Daniel P. Cardinali M.D.,Ph.D.

  4. WJB Dorn VA Medical Center, University of South Carolina, 6439 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC, 29209, USA

    William J. M. Hrushesky M.D. (Director of Research (151) (Director of Research (151)

  5. Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 4, Tübingen, 72076, Germany

    Dieter Mecke (Director) (Director)

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heilberg

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Guerrero, J.M. et al. (2001). Mechanisms Involved in the Immunomodulatory Effects of Melatonin on the Human Immune System. In: Bartsch, C., Bartsch, H., Blask, D.E., Cardinali, D.P., Hrushesky, W.J.M., Mecke, D. (eds) The Pineal Gland and Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59512-7_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59512-7_22

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64003-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-59512-7

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