Neuroendocrine integrative mechanisms in mammalian pineal gland: Effects of steroid and adenohypophysial hormones on melatonin synthesis in vitro

The time course for the decrease in norepinephrine concentration of rat pineal explants in culture indicated a significant fall starting at the 4th hour and completed after 16-24 h of incubation. Significant decreases of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (HIAA) levels in tissue, an increase o...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado: 1987
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rat
Acceso en línea:https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00224731_v27_n1-3_p565_Cardinali
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00224731_v27_n1-3_p565_Cardinali
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Sumario:The time course for the decrease in norepinephrine concentration of rat pineal explants in culture indicated a significant fall starting at the 4th hour and completed after 16-24 h of incubation. Significant decreases of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (HIAA) levels in tissue, an increase of HIAA/serotonin ratio, and an increase of melatonin production rate in vitro were also observed as a function of the incubation time. Estradiol (10-7-10-5 M) increased rat pineal melatonin content, testosterone (10-5 M) decreased it and progesterone was devoid of activity when incubated with explants for up to 6 h. The in vitro stimulatory effect of estradiol on rat pineal methoxyindole synthesis was blocked by propranolol but not by phentolamine; propranolol also blocked the increase of nuclear estradiol-receptor complex produced by estrogen exposure of pineal explants. TSH (1-100 ng/ml), growth hormone (10-100 ng/ml) and LH (10 ng/ml) augmented rat pineal melatonin content while 100 ng/ml of FSH decreased it significantly. Prolactin exerted a biphasic effect on rat pineal explants, the lowest concentration augmenting melatonin content while the high concentration depressed it. Deep, intermediate and superficial segments of guinea-pig pineal glands showed an increase in melatonin concentration after a 6-h incubation in the presence of 10-7-10-5 M estradiol. © 1987.