Elsevier

Life Sciences

Volume 65, Issue 20, 8 October 1999, Pages 2143-2150
Life Sciences

Melatonin activates Th1 lymphocytes by increasing IL-12 production

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0024-3205(99)00479-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Melatonin could act on immune system by regulating cytokine production of immunocompetent cells. The hormone enhances IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-6 production by cultured human mononuclear cells. As enhancement of IL-6 production is related to monocyte activation by melatonin, the hormone acts on human lymphoid cells causing a Th1-type response. This paper shows that melatonin seems to promote a Th1-response by increasing IL-12 production. The hormone enhances IL-12 production by cultured monocytes under suboptimal stimulation in a dose-dependent way. The effect of the hormone increases when PBMCs are incubated with melatonin before monocyte isolation. Enhanced IL-12 production by melatonin can also be shown in cultured human mononuclear cells.

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