FIND ARTICLE

THE ROLE OF MELATONIN IN BREAST, OVARIAN AND ENDOMETRIAL CANCERS

Estrogens plays an essential role in the etiology of human breast, ovarian and endometrial carcinoma. Activation of estrogen receptors contributes to the growth and metastasis of these common estrogen-dependent tumors found in women. Recent studies reveal that melatonin, main hormone secreted by pineal gland, has been involved in the regulation of cancer cells growth. The oncostatic properties of this molecule has been considered on different kinds of tumors but especially on hormone dependent breast cancer.

GENETIC POLYMORPHISM OF THE ESTROGEN BIOSYNTHESIS PATHWAY KEY ENZYMES IN WOMEN

Endogenous estrogens play an important role in women's organism: they control menstrual cycle through the influence on foliculogenesis, ovary's steroidogenesis and growth, and endometrium transformations. But their role is not only confined to ovaries and testis action. Number of researches report about systemic role of these hormones in women. They are involved in lipids and carbohydrates metabolism, bone mineralization, vascular functions. Estrogens are synthesized not only in gonads, but also in adipose cells, bones, brain, vasculature and adrenal cortex.

ESTROGENS IN MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

The presence of estrogens in the male gonad is now well documented, however the role of the hormones in regulation of function of male reproductive system is not fully understood. The using of molecular biology methods provided evidence that the cells of male reproductive system organs are able to produce estrogens via aromatization of androgens and are estrogen target. The cytochrome P450 aromatase and both isoform of estrogen receptors are expressed not only in Leydig and Sertoli cells, but also in germ cells, spermatozoa, the cells of epithelium in the efferent ductules and epididymis.

The Editorial Board
Andrzej Łukaszyk - przewodniczący, Zofia Bielańska-Osuchowska, Szczepan Biliński, Mieczysław Chorąży, Aleksander Koj, Włodzimierz Korochoda, Leszek Kuźnicki, Aleksandra Stojałowska, Lech Wojtczak

Editorial address:
Katedra i Zakład Histologii i Embriologii Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu, ul. Święcickiego 6, 60-781 Poznań, tel. +48 61 8546453, fax. +48 61 8546440, email: mnowicki@ump.edu.pl

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