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Exploring Melatonin and Related Indolic Agents
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Exploring Melatonin and Related Indolic Agents

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 2058

Editor

Prof. Dr. Burkhard Poeggeler

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physiology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen and Goettingen Research Campus, Göttingen, Am Türmchen 3, Gütersloh D-33332, Germany
Interests: aging; amino acids; antioxidants; inflammaging; melatonin; product development; tryptophan
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The EFSA characterized melatonin as a sufficiently characterized food and food constituent in 2010. Melatonin contributes to alleviating jet lag and improving sleep with its role in sleep/wake cycle regulation. The food supplement melatonin has been used for more than 30 years with good efficacy and safety in the United States and the European Union. Research on melatonin continues to discover new effects of this unique indole agent. Indolamines are found in all life forms. As a unique bioenergetic agent, melatonin is a potent mitochondrial metabolism modifier that can protect against oxidative stress and damage.

We invite you to contribute to this Special Issue on melatonin and related indolic agents, which will explore the molecular mechanisms and mediators induced by these agents. Our focus is on melatonin and related indolic agents such as indole-3-propionic acid and indole-3-propionamide. This Special Issue will examine key physiological pathways targeted by these indole agents.

Original articles and reviews, as well as short communications that demonstrate the progress of research in the field, are welcome, and we encourage you to contribute all works focusing on such indole agents. Emerging new topics and themes will be given priority. Please do not hesitate to explore new horizons.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Burkhard Poeggeler
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

  • aging
  • antioxidant
  • bioenergetic agent
  • biological clock
  • immunomodulation
  • indole-3-propionic acid
  • indole-3-propionamide
  • melatonin
  • senescence
  • tryptophan

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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19 pages, 2019 KB  
Review
Melatonin as a Redox Modulator in Developmental Programming: Implications for Cardiovascular–Kidney–Metabolic Risk
by Chien-Ning Hsu and You-Lin Tain
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(5), 2390; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27052390 - 4 Mar 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1028
Abstract
Melatonin, a multifunctional hormone with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chronobiotic effects, is essential for a healthy pregnancy and fetal development. In the context of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), excessive oxidative stress acts as a key driver of maladaptive fetal programming, [...] Read more.
Melatonin, a multifunctional hormone with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chronobiotic effects, is essential for a healthy pregnancy and fetal development. In the context of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), excessive oxidative stress acts as a key driver of maladaptive fetal programming, increasing lifelong susceptibility to cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic (CKM) disorders. Importantly, most evidence derives from rodent models, and the protective effects of maternal melatonin supplementation appear partial and model-dependent rather than universal. Experimental studies indicate that maternal melatonin supplementation can prevent programmed hypertension, renal dysfunction, and metabolic derangements by restoring redox homeostasis, influencing epigenetic and nutrient-sensing pathways, and modulating the gut microbiome. Early clinical investigations in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction suggest that melatonin is well tolerated, improves placental function, and benefits neonatal outcomes. However, optimal dosing and long-term safety for offspring remain to be established. This review synthesizes mechanistic and translational evidence, framing melatonin as an integrative biological mediator with potential to guide preventive strategies and mitigate the intergenerational risk of CKM syndrome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Melatonin and Related Indolic Agents)
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13 pages, 555 KB  
Brief Report
Differential Sensitivity of Endocrine and Non-Endocrine Tissues to Cadmium-Induced Lipid Peroxidation and the Protective Role of Melatonin
by Aleksandra K. Gładysz, Jan Stępniak and Małgorzata Karbownik-Lewińska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(13), 5991; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27135991 - 3 Jul 2026
Viewed by 83
Abstract
Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen and recognized as an endocrine-disrupting chemical. The present study aimed to evaluate tissue-specific susceptibility to cadmium-induced oxidative damage to membrane lipids (lipid peroxidation, LPO) [...] Read more.
Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen and recognized as an endocrine-disrupting chemical. The present study aimed to evaluate tissue-specific susceptibility to cadmium-induced oxidative damage to membrane lipids (lipid peroxidation, LPO) and to assess the antioxidative effects of melatonin in porcine tissue homogenates representing endocrine (the thyroid and the ovary) and non-endocrine (the liver, the kidney, and the brain) organs. Homogenates were incubated with cadmium chloride (CdCl2; 2.5–1000 µM) without/with melatonin (0.1–5.0 mM). Lipid peroxidation was assessed spectrophotometrically by measuring malondialdehyde + 4-hydroxyalkenals (MDA + 4-HDA) levels. Cadmium significantly increased LPO in the liver (2.5–1000 μM) and in the kidney (25–1000 μM), whereas no prooxidative effect was observed in endocrine tissues or in the brain. Liver damage was mitigated by melatonin doses as low as 0.1 μM across the 250–1000 μM cadmium range, while protection in the kidney was limited to higher melatonin concentrations (2.5–5.0 mM) against damage induced by 100–1000 μM cadmium concentrations. The findings demonstrate pronounced tissue-specific differences in susceptibility to cadmium-induced oxidative stress and support the potential of melatonin as a preventive agent against heavy metal-induced oxidative stress, particularly in non-endocrine organs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Melatonin and Related Indolic Agents)
13 pages, 1870 KB  
Brief Report
Melatonin and Indole-3-Propionic Acid Reduce Surface FcγRIII/CD16-Related Parameters in Porcine Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells In Vitro
by Przemysław W. Śliwka, Jan Stępniak and Małgorzata Karbownik-Lewińska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(11), 4898; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27114898 - 28 May 2026
Viewed by 377
Abstract
FcγRIII (CD16) is expressed by several leukocyte populations, including monocytes, macrophages, and natural killer cells, and plays an important role in IgG-mediated immune responses. Altered CD16 expression has been reported in inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including thyroid-associated immune alterations. This preliminary in vitro [...] Read more.
FcγRIII (CD16) is expressed by several leukocyte populations, including monocytes, macrophages, and natural killer cells, and plays an important role in IgG-mediated immune responses. Altered CD16 expression has been reported in inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including thyroid-associated immune alterations. This preliminary in vitro study investigated whether the indole-derived compounds melatonin and indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) affect surface FcγRIII/CD16-related parameters in porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) cultured alone or with autologous thyroid follicular cells. PBMCs were left untreated or treated with melatonin or IPA, both at 50 µM, and analysed by flow cytometry at baseline and after 24 and 48 h of culture. The percentage of CD45+CD16+ cells and the CD16 mean fluorescence intensity were assessed as surface CD16-related parameters. Untreated PBMC cultures showed a time-dependent decrease in both the percentage of CD45+CD16+ cells and CD16 mean fluorescence intensity. Melatonin and IPA further enhanced this decrease compared with untreated cultures. Co-culture with thyroid follicular cells did not significantly modify CD16-related parameters under the tested conditions. These findings suggest that melatonin and IPA may modulate the surface CD16-related phenotype of porcine CD45+ leukocytes in vitro. The results provide preliminary evidence for the potential immunomodulatory activity of indole-derived compounds within the CD16-expressing leukocyte compartment and warrant further investigation in extended experimental models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Melatonin and Related Indolic Agents)
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