Melatonin in health and disease: A perspective for livestock production

Authors: CONTRERA-CORREA, ZULLY - Mississippi State University; MESSMAN, RILEY - Mississippi State University; SWANSON, REBECCA - Mississippi State University; LEMLEY, CALEB - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: Biomolecules
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/4/2023
Publication Date: 3/7/2023
Citation: Contrera-Correa, Z.E., Messman, R.D., Swanson, R.M., Lemley, C.O. 2023. Melatonin in health and disease: A perspective for livestock production. Biomolecules. 13:490. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/biom13030490.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13030490

Interpretive Summary: Following the discovery of melatonin in 1958, most research efforts focused on understanding the role of melatonin in the reproductive physiology of photosensitive seasonal breeding animals. Melatonin is known to be elevated at nighttime, which is considered a highly conserved trait among vertebrate animals playing a significant role in circadian rhythms and seasonality of reproduction. For example, the duration of melatonin secretion is different between short days (autumn and winter) and long days (spring and summer) allowing an adaptive response to changes in environmental factors, such as temperature and food availability. Melatonin’s antioxidant capacity is a property of great interest for improving health and preventing diseases in livestock. Therefore, the current review article will outline the use of melatonin as a therapeutic to modify antioxidant capacity, cardiovascular function, endocrine metabolism, and immune function in various livestock species.

Technical Abstract: Mounting evidence in the literature indicates an important role of endogenous and exogenous melatonin in driving physiological and molecular adaptations in livestock. Melatonin has been extensively studied in seasonally polyestrous animals whereby supplementation studies have been used to adjust circannual rhythms in herds of animals under abnormal photoperiodic conditions. Livestock undergo multiple metabolic and physiological adaptation processes throughout their production cycle which can result in decreased immune response leading to chronic illness, weight loss, or decreased production efficiency; however, melatonin’s antioxidant capacity and immunostimulatory properties could alleviate these effects. The cardiovascular system responds to melatonin and depending on receptor type and localization, melatonin can vasodilate or vasoconstrict several systemic arteries, thereby controlling whole animal nutrient partitioning via vascular resistance. Increased incidences of non-communicable diseases in populations exposed to circadian disruption have uncovered novel pathways of neurohormones, such as melatonin, influence health, and disease. Perturbations in immune function can negatively impact the growth and development of livestock which has been examined following melatonin supplementation. Specifically, melatonin can influence nutrient uptake, circulating nutrient profiles, and endocrine profiles controlling economically important livestock growth and development. This review focuses on the physiological, cellular, and molecular implications of melatonin on the health and disease of domesticated food animals.