Thread by @de_bose

@Mktweets0 Going to start a thread on #melatonin & its effects on CKD validated by scientific research. Please correct if you find any medical faults.

#kidneys

@Mktweets0 1/ Melatonin was first purified and characterised from the bovine pineal gland extract by Aron Lerner and co-workers in 1958.

However it has systemic effects. #Kidney cells (proximal tubule) express a melatonin receptor of type MTNR1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9034171/

@Mktweets0 2/ Looking at mRNA expression across several human tissues, surprisingly it's rather strongly expressed in colon and #kidney.

genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddi…

@Mktweets0 3/ What is #Melatonin doing in the #Kidney ? Well if you ask a nephrologist, he/she'd say - "rubbish, don't read on internet. it's all junk"

Melatonin regulates mitochondrial complexes. Kidney, having high resting metabolic rate (w/ heart) are flooded with all kinds of oxidants.

@Mktweets0 4/ Mitochondria are batteries of cells, generates ATP (eneregy) and are examples of the finest molecular robotics designed by mother nature.


4 giant molecular machines, inside mito, shuttle electrons, eventually producing energy

@Mktweets0 5/ Melatonin may contribute to the regulation of mitochondrial complexes, and its deficiency may lead to differential regulation of the Complex-I & Complex-III proteins in the renal #mitochondria, subjecting #kidney cells to increase oxidative stress


ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…

@Mktweets0 6/ Melatonin as a highly lipophilic (fat-loving) small molecule that quickly reaches the mitochondria & can have a direct action on respiratory chain carriers.

Melatonin regulates the mitochondrial redox state, as it was shown experimentally for brain & liver mitochondria.

@Mktweets0 7/ Melatonin has been proposed to have beneficial effects on cell proliferation by reducing the apoptosis of healthy cells, while enhancing the apoptosis of malignant cells. This differential behavior is amazing.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21244481/

@Mktweets0 8/ Protein leakage in urine, known as proteinuria, is an important indicator of CKD. Studies have revealed disturbances in circadian (day/night cycle) melatonin secretion for CKD patients & proved the utility of melatonin in reducing #proteinuria
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…

@Mktweets0 9/ Pharma companies usually don’t fund research around drug discovery, unless there exists suitable patent protections. #Melatonin, being a natural substance produced by our body, can’t be patented.

#health #holistichealth

@Mktweets0 10/ However, when there is capital, there is a way :)

Pharmaceutical scientists have developed artificial drugs that bind to Melatonin Receptors (MTNR1 as discussed earlier)

• Ramelteon
: Takeda Pharmaceuticals, US
• Circadin
: Neurim Pharmaceuticals, Tel Aviv, Israel

@Mktweets0 10/ The pineal gland seems to be intricately linked with kidney physiology through the multiple actions of melatonin. Association of melatonin with ROS (free radical), glomerular function, tubular function & vascular function indicates that the reno-pineal link is a multifaceted.