Mice, melatonin and the circadian system

Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
H W Korf, Charlotte von Gall

Abstract

Melatonin effects are discussed by reviewing results from mice with intact or disrupted melatonin signaling. Melatonin, the neuroendocrine hand of the clock produced in the pineal gland during night, acts upon two receptor subtypes. Melatonin receptors are found in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), hypophysial pars tuberalis (PT) and adrenal gland. In SCN, melatonin interacts with PACAP, a neuropeptide of the retinohypothalamic tract. Moreover, melatonin acts on the SCN to modulate the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Melatonin is not required to maintain rhythmic clock gene expression in SCN. By contrast, the rhythmic clock gene expression in PT depends on a melatonin signal interacting with adenosine. Melatonin may also affect clock gene protein levels in the adrenal cortex and influence adrenal functions. In conclusion, melatonin may serve the synchronization of peripheral oscillators by interacting with other neuroactive substances. A stress-reducing potency of melatonin needs to be explored in further studies.

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Citations

Jul 16, 2013·Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology·Sameer GuptaSarika Singh
Jan 17, 2009·Journal of Genetics·Morven A CameronRobert J Lucas
Apr 23, 2010·Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs·Rüdiger Hardeland
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May 19, 2009·BioFactors·Rüdiger Hardeland
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Jun 2, 2015·Frontiers in Neurology·Martina PfefferHorst-Werner Korf
Feb 3, 2007·Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism : TEM·Jack FalcónGilles Boeuf
Mar 4, 2017·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Martina PfefferHelmut Wicht
May 16, 2020·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Amira A H AliCharlotte von Gall
May 1, 2020·Chronobiology International·Sanjeev Kumar SoniMuniyandi Singaravel

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