Effects of melatonin treatment and environmental lighting on the ultrastructural appearence, melatonin synthesis, norepinephrine turnover and microtubule protein content of the rat pineal gland.

Journal of Neural Transmission
F Freire, D P Cardinali

Abstract

Melatonin administration or exposure of rats to darkness for two weeks induced comparable changes in pineal ultrastructure, compatible with a generalized organ's activation. These include an increased number of ribosomes, procentrioles and microtubules, prominent nucleoli and Golgi apparatus, and annulate lamellae. Melatonin treatment resulted in a dose-dependent increase of hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase and serotonin-N-acetyltransferase activities. In addition it increased by 85% the colchicine binding capacity of pineal homogenates, an estimation of the microtubule protein content of the gland. Pineal norepinephrine turnover was not affected by melatonin treatment. These data indicate that the pineal itself is a target organ for exogenously administered melatonin. Key words: Pineal gland, melatonin, norepinephrine, tubulin.

References

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Citations

Jun 1, 1979·Neuroscience Letters·M R PrevedelloD P Cardinali
Jan 1, 1978·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. C: Comparative Pharmacology·H MeisslJ H Wissler
Jan 1, 1983·Psychoneuroendocrinology·P Pévet
Jan 1, 1989·Electron Microscopy Reviews·R G Kessel
Jan 1, 1991·Journal of Pineal Research·H E ChuluyanD P Cardinali
Sep 1, 1985·Journal of Neurosurgery·S S Erlich, M L Apuzzo
Aug 15, 1993·Experientia·G Benítez-King, F Antón-Tay
Feb 7, 2012·Neuroscience Letters·Graciela Jiménez-RubioGloria Benítez-King
Mar 28, 2008·Journal of Pineal Research·Kornelia Kedziora-KornatowskaJózef Kedziora
Jan 1, 1989·Journal of Pineal Research·M A VillanuaA I Esquifino
Jan 1, 1988·Journal of Pineal Research·C A Redins, A B Machado
Sep 10, 2009·Brazilian Journal of Biology = Revista Brasleira De Biologia·A T ObaraM A G Silva-Dias
Jun 20, 2002·Brazilian Journal of Biology = Revista Brasleira De Biologia·G M RedinsJ C Novaes
Apr 1, 1987·American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP·E J DuryeaJ O Okwumabua
Jun 1, 1996·Neurochemical Research·J MeléndezA Ortega
Jan 28, 2021·Pharmaceutics·Dalia M Kopustinskiene, Jurga Bernatoniene

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