Melatonin receptor signaling in human pathologies: from molecular mechanisms to therapeutic targets.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of molecular mechanisms and disease associations with no primary clinical trial data or systematic synthesis.
PubMed 42139078 · doi:10.1152/function.011.2026
What was done
This review synthesized literature on the melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A), summarizing its structural motifs, G protein-coupled receptor signaling, gene regulation, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and associations with human diseases.
What was found
The authors summarized associations between MTNR1A dysfunction and various pathologies, including genetic variants in idiopathic osteoporosis, decreased expression in membranous nephropathy, and downregulation in cancer, fetal growth restriction, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson disease, and Alzheimer disease. No quantitative metrics, effect estimates, or statistical data were reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
The paper consolidates structural and clinical literature on MTNR1A, identifying receptor upregulation and selective agonist development as potential therapeutic strategies across metabolic, renal, and neurodegenerative disorders.
Limits
As a narrative review, it presents no original experimental or clinical data. The abstract provides no quantitative findings, search methodology, study inclusion criteria, or risk of bias assessments for cited evidence.
Cited by
- supports Substantial scientific research exists on melatonin's effects in children, aging populations, and bone health.