Melatonin as a potential therapeutic molecule against myocardial damage caused by high fat diet (HFD)

     High fat diet (HFD) has been implicated as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases since the second half of the last century. The HFD causes various pathogeneses and progressions of cardiovascular diseases. The oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory reactions induced by the HFD are probably the major risk factors of myocardial damage. In this review we highlight the roles of different dietary fats on cardiovascular diseases and the protective effects of melatonin as a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammation molecule on the pathology induced by HFD. The focus will be given to the molecular mechanisms. The protective effects of melatonin on HFD induced myocardial damage are mediated by multiple pathways. These include that melatonin suppresses the oxidative stress, preserves the normal fat and glucose metabolisms and reduces the pro-inflammatory reactions. Melatonin downregulates the expressions of pro-inflammatory genes of TLR4, NF-κB and NLRP3-Caspase1 but upregulates the expressions of anti-inflammatory genes of Sirt3, CTRP3 and RISK. All of these render melatonin as a powerful protector against cardiovascular diseases caused by the HFD. This review suggests that melatonin can be used as a therapeutic agent in this specific condition.