Melatonin in Disease and Health 2.0
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 34092
Special Issue Editor
Interests: antioxidants; sex differences; skin; melatonin; oxidative stress and cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Neurodegeneration, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases will be some of the main hot topics for the health care of the future.
It will be particularly important to consider the fine, basic mechanisms underlying the chronic dysfunctions towards which the human body gradually moves during the lifespan. In this regard, there are many recently published studies that emphasize the involvement of common general alterations (e.g., oxidative stress, inflammation, angiogenesis, and endothelial function and dysfunction) in the pathogenesis of most chronic diseases. Another point to consider is the progressive aging of the population and the associated increasing number of comorbidities. In this sense, one of the main actors that for years has been little studied is the microbiota present both in the intestine and in the skin, which is fundamental to maintaining a correct balance between oxidizing agents and oxidative defense. Moreover, it is also important in enabling healthy aging in the population, but can itself be the cause of dysfunction and alterations. There are, in fact, many exogenous and endogenous stimuli that can modify the composition of the microbiota, also altering the function of the organ in which it is resident. This is the case, for example, of the intestinal microbiota and the many pathologies in which it has been seen to be involved.
For all these reasons, it becomes fundamental to find a therapeutic and/or supplementation strategy that does not weigh on the already compromised functionality of organs and systems.
In this complex context, melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) has begun to be and remains the focus of new research works. As a small molecule that is ubiquitously present in all organisms, from cyanobacteria to humans, it has been investigated for its peculiar nocturnal production and its role in the regulation of circadian rhythms. It is now recognized for its pleiotropic activity.
Overall, its biosynthesis starts after the uptake of tryptophan by cells; specifically, this essential amino acid is converted to 5-hydroxytryptophan and then to 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) and, ultimately, to melatonin. When it is released in the bloodstream, melatonin regulates physiological functions like circadian rhythm, sleep–wake cycle, gonadal activity, redox homeostasis, neuroprotection, immune modulation, and anticancer effects in the body. On the contrary, it is known that a decrease in melatonin secretion is related to the aging process and leads to tumorigenesis and visceral adiposity.
All these activities are carried out in two different ways: as an amphiphilic molecule, melatonin directly interacts with the intracellular components, but it also acts indirectly through the membrane receptors which are widely distributed in all eukaryotic cells.
Papers dealing with any aspects of melatonin in human health and disease, with special attention paid to new experimental therapeutic applications, will be considered for this Special Issue.
Prof. Dr. Rita Rezzani
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- health and pathology
- oxidative stress and inflammation
- endothelial dysfunction
- aging and cancer
- skin diseases
- gastrointestinal disorders
- neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases
- microbiota composition and function
- brain-gut axis
- metabolic syndromes
- sex/gender dimorphism
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.
