Melatonin synthesis in the human pineal gland: Advantages, implications, and difficulties

Chronobiology International

Volumn 23, Issue 1-2, 2006, Pages 369-379

  Ackermann, Katrin ^a   Stehle, Jörg H ^a  

^a GOETHE UNIVERSITY   (Germany)

Author keywords

AANAT; Degradation; HIOMT; Human Beings; Melatonin Circadian Rhythm; mRNA; Post Mortem

Indexed keywords

ACETYLSEROTONIN METHYLTRANSFERASE; ARALKYLAMINE ACETYLTRANSFERASE; MELATONIN; MESSENGER RNA;

ALCOHOLISM; ALZHEIMER DISEASE; AUTOPSY; BRAIN TISSUE; BREAST CANCER; CANCER RISK; CIRCADIAN RHYTHM; CONFERENCE PAPER; GENETIC TRANSCRIPTION; HORMONE SYNTHESIS; HUMAN; NONHUMAN; PINEAL BODY; PRIMATE; REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION; SCHIZOPHRENIA; SHIFT WORKER; SLEEP WAKING CYCLE; SMITH MAGENIS SYNDROME; SPECIES DIFFERENCE; SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEUS; TRANSCRIPTION REGULATION;

ANIMALS; BIOLOGICAL CLOCKS; CIRCADIAN RHYTHM; DARKNESS; HUMANS; MELATONIN; MODELS, BIOLOGICAL; PHOTOPERIOD; PINEAL GLAND; PROTEIN PROCESSING, POST-TRANSLATIONAL; RATS; SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEUS; TIME FACTORS; TRANSCRIPTION, GENETIC;

MAMMALIA; PRIMATES; RODENTIA;

EID: 33646696418     PISSN: 07420528     EISSN: 15256073     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/07420520500464379     Document Type: Conference Paper

References (55)

1. Arendt, J. (1985). Mammalian pineal rhythms. Pineal Res. Rev 3:161-213.
2. Arendt, J. (1995). Melatonin and the Mammalian Pineal Gland; London: Chapman & Hall, pp. 1-331.
3. Arendt, J., Skene, D.J. (2005). Melatonin as a chronobiotic. Sleep Med. Rev 9:25-39.
4. Bauer, M., Gramlich, I., Polzin, S., Patzelt, D. (2003). Quantification of mRNA degradation as possible indicator of postmortem interval - a pilot study. Leg. Med. 5:220-227.
5. Borjigin, J., Wang, M.M., Snyder, S.H. (1995). Diurnal variation in mRNA encoding serotonin N-acetyltransferase in pineal gland. Nature 378:783-785.
6. Bubenik, G.A., Brown, G.M., Uhlir, I., Grota, L.J. (1974). Immunohistological localization of N-acetylindole-alkylamines in pineal gland, retina and cerebellum. Brain Res. 81:233-242.
7. Ceinos, R.M., Chansard, M., Revel, F., Calgari, C., Míguez, J.M., Simoneaux, V. (2004). Analysis of adrenergic regulation of melatonin synthesis in Siberian hamster pineal emphasizes the role of HIOMT. Neurosignals 13:308-317.
8. Cohen, H.N., Hay, I.D., Annesley, T.M., Beastall, G.H., Wallace, A.M., Spooner, R., Thomson, J.A., Fastwold, P., Klee, G.G. (1982). Serum immunoreactive melatonin in boys with delayed puberty. Clin. Endocrinol. 17:517-521.
9. Coon, S.L., Roseboom, P.H., Baler, R., Weller, J.L., Namboodiri, M.A., Koonin, E.V., Klein, D.C. (1995). Pineal serotonin N-acetyltransferase: expression cloning and molecular analysis. Science 270:1681-1683.
10. rd, Klein, D.C. (2002). Melatonin synthesis enzymes in Macaca mulatta: Focus on arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.87). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 87:4699-4706.
11. Ferrari, E., Magri, F., Dori, D., Migliorati, G., Nescis, T., Molla, G., Fioravanti, M., Solerte, S.B. (1995). Neuroendocrine correlates of the aging brain in humans. Neuroendocrinol. 61:464-470.
12. Feuer, G. (1990). Biochemistry of the pineal gland as an endocrine organ. Drug Metabol. Drug Interact. 8:203-246.
13. Freund, D., Arendt, J., Vollrath, L. (1977). Tentative immunohistochemical demonstration of melatonin in the rat pineal gland. Cell Tissue Res. 181:239-244.
14. Hill, S.M., Blask, D.E. (1988). Effects of the pineal hormone melatonin on the proliferation and morphological characteristics of human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) in culture. Cancer Res. 48:6121-6126.
15. Hohjoh, H., Takasu, M., Shishikura, K., Takahashi, Y., Honda, Y., Tokunaga, K. (2003). Significant association of the arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) gene with delayed sleep phase syndrome. Neurogenetics 4:151-153.
16. Hynd, M.R., Lewohl, J.M., Scott, H.L., Dodd, P.R. (2003). Biochemical and molecular studies using human autopsy brain tissue. J. Neurochem. 85:543-562.
17. Johnston, J.D., Bashforth, R., Diack, A., Andersson, H., Lincoln, G.A., Hazlerigg, D.G. (2004). Rhythmic melatonin secretion does not correlate with the expression of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase, inducible cyclic AMP early repressor, period1 or cryptochrome1 mRNA in the sheep pineal. Neuroscience 124:789-795.
18. Johnston, N.L., Cervenak, J., Shore, A.D., Torrey, E.F., Yolken, R.H. (1997). Multivariate analysis of RNA levels from postmortem human brains as measured by three different methods of RT-PCR. Stanley Neuropathology Consortium. J. Neurosci. Methods. 77:83-92.
19. Kappers, J.A., Schadé, J.P. (1965). Sturcture and function of the epiphysis cerebri. Prog. Brain Res. 10.
20. Kennaway, D.J., Stamp, G.E., Goble, F.C. (1992). Development of melatonin production in infants and the impact of prematurity. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 75:367-369.
21. Kennaway, D.J., Lushington, K., Dawson, D., Lack, L., van den Heuvel, C., Rogers, N. (1999). Urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion and aging: new results and a critical review of the literature. J. Pineal Res. 27:210-220.
22. Klein, D.C. (1999). Serotonin N-acetyltransferase. A personal historical perspective. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 460:5-16.
23. Korf, H.-W., Schomerus, C., Stehle, J.H. (1998). The pineal organ, its hormone melatonin, and the photoneuroendocrine system. Adv. Anat. Embryol. Cell Biol. 146:1-100.
24. Kotler, M., Rodriguez, C., Sainz, R.M., Antolin, I., Menendez-Pelaez, A. (1998). Melatonin increases gene expression for antioxidant enzymes in rat brain cortex. J. Pineal Res. 24:83-89.
25. Lerner, A., Case, J.D., Takahashi, Y. (1958). Isolation of melatonin, the pineal gland factor that lightens melanocytes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 80:2857-2865.
26. Lynch, H.J., Wurtman, R.J., Moskowitz, M.A., Archer, M.C., Ho, M.H. (1975). Daily rhythm in human urinary melatonin. Science 17:169-171.
27. Magri, F., Locatelli, M., Balza, G., Molla, G., Cuzzoni, G., Fioravanti, M., Solerte, S.B., Ferrari, E. (1997). Changes in endocrine circadian rhythms as markers of physiological and pathological brain aging. Chronobiol. Int. 14:385-396.
28. Maronde, E., Middendorff, R., Telgmann, R., Muller, D., Hemmings, B., Tasken, K., Olcese, J. (1997). Melatonin synthesis in the bovine pineal gland is regulated by type II cyclic AMP-clependent protein kinase. J. Neurochem. 68:770-777.
29. Maronde, E., Pfeffer, M., von Gall, C., Dehghani, F., Schomerus, C., Wicht, H., Kroeber, S., Olcese, J., Stehle, J.H., Korf, H.-W. (1999). Signal transduction in the rodent pineal organ. From the membrane to the nucleus. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 460:109-131.
30. Matsubara, E., Bryant-Thomas, T., Pacheco Quinto, J., Henry, T.L., Poeggeler, B., Herbert, D., Cruz-Sanchez, F., Chyan, Y.J., Smith, M.A., Perry, G., Shoji, M., Abe, K., Leone, A., Grundke-Ikbal, I., Wilson, G.L., Ghiso, J., Williams, C., Refolo, L.M., Pappolla, M.A., Chain, D.G., Neria, E. (2003). Melatonin increases survival and inhibits oxidative and amyloid pathology in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease. J. Neurochem. 85:1101-1108.
31. Potocki, L., Glaze, D., Tan, D.X., Park, S.S., Kashork, C.D., Shaffer, L.G., Reiter, R.J., Lupski, J.R. (2000). Circadian rhythm abnormalities of melatonin in Smith-Magenis syndrome. J. Med. Genet. 37:428-433.
32. Preece, P., Virley, D.J., Costandi, M., Coombes, R., Moss, S.J., Mudge, A.W., Jazin, E., Cairns, N.J. (2003). An optimistic view for quantifying mRNA in post-mortem human brain. Brain Res. Mol. Brain Res. 116:7-16.
33. Reiter, R.J., Tan, D.X., Osuna, C., Gitto, E. (2000). Actions of melatonin in the reduction of oxiclative stress. A review. J. Biomed. Sci. 7:444-458.
34. Reppert, S.M. (1989). Research in Perinatal Medicine (IX): Development of Circadian Rhythmicity and Photoperiodism in Mammals; Ithaca, New York: Perinatology Press, p. 1-262.
35. Reppert, S.M., Weaver, D.R. (2002). Coordination of circadian timing in mammals. Nature 418:935-941.
36. Rüppel, R., Olcese, J. (1991). Bovine pinealocytes in monolayer culture: studies on the adrenergic regulation of melatonin secretion. Endocrinology 129:2655-2662.
37. Schernhammer, E.S., Rosner, B., Willett, W.C., Laden, F., Colditz, G.A., Hankinson, S.E. (2004). Epidemiology of urinary melatonin in women and its relation to other hormones and night work. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 13:936-943.
38. Schomerus, C., Korf, H.-W., Laedtke, E., Weller, J.L., Klein, D.C. (2000). Selective adrenergic/cyclic AMP-dependent switch-off of proteasomal proteolysis alone switches on neural signal transduction: an example from the pineal gland. J. Neurochem. 75:2123-2132.
39. Schramm, M., Falkai, P., Tepest, R., Schneider-Axmann, T., Przkora, R., Waha, A., Pietsch, T., Bonte, W., Bayer, T.A. (1999). Stability of RNA transcripts in post-mortem psychiatric brains. J. Neural. Transm. 106:329-335.
40. Shibui, K., Uchiyama, M., Okawa, M. (1999). Melatonin rhythms in delayed sleep phase syndrome. J. Biol. Rhythms 14:72-76.
41. Smith, J.A., Padwick, D., Mee, T.J., Minneman, K.P., Bird, E.D. (1977). Synchronous nyctohemeral rhythms in human blood melatonin and in human post-mortem pineal enzyme. Clin. Endocrinol. 6:219-225.
42. Smith, K.A., Schoen, M.W., Czeisler, C.A. (2004). Adaptation of human pineal melatonin suppression by recent photic history. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 89:3610-3614.
43. Stehle, J.H., Foulkes, N.S., Molina, C.A., Simmonneaux, V., Pévet, P., Sassone-Corsi, P. (1993). Adrenergic signals direct rhythmic expression of transcriptional repressor CREM in the pineal gland. Nature 365:314-320.
44. Stehle, J.H., von Gall, C., Korf, H.-W. (2001a). Analysis of cell signaling in the rodent pineal gland deciphers regulators of dynamic transcription in neural/endocrine cells. Eur. J. Neurosci. 14:1-9.
45. Stehle, J.H., von Gall, C., Schomerus, C., Korf, H.-W. (2001b). Of rodents and ungulates and melatonin: creating a uniform code for darkness by different signaling mechanisms. J. Biol. Rhythms 16:312-325.
46. Touitou, Y., Fevre, M., Bogdan, A., Reinberg, A., De Prins, J., Beck, H., Touitou, C. (1984). Patterns of plasma melatonin with ageing and mental condition: stability of nyctohemeral rhythms and differences in seasonal variations. Acta Endocrinol. 106:145-151.
47. Von Gall, C., Lewy, A., Schomerus, C., Vivien-Roels, B., Pévet, P., Korf, H.-W., Stehle, J.H. (2000). Transcription factor dynamics and neuroendocrine signalling in the mouse pineal gland: a comparative analysis of melatonin-deficient C57BL mice and melatonin-proficient C3H mice. Eur. J. Neurosci. 12:964-972.
48. Vondrasová, D., Hájek, I., Illnerová, H. (1997). Exposure to long summer days affects the human melatonin and cortisol rhythms. Brain Res. 759:166-170.
49. Vondrasová-Jelínková, D., Hájek, I., Illnerová, H. (1999). Adjustment of the human melatonin and cortisol rhythms to shortening of the natural summer photoperiod. Brain Res. 816:249-53.
50. Waldhauser, F., Weiszenbacher, G., Tatzer, E., Gisinger, B., Waldhauser, M., Schemper, M., Frisch, H. (1988). Alterations in nocturnal serum melatonin levels in humans with growth and aging. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 66:648-652.
51. Wei, N., Tsuge, T., Serino, G., Dohmae, N., Takio, K., Matsui, M., Deng, X.W. (1998). The COP9 complex is conserved between plants and mammals and is related to the 26S proteasome regulatory complex. Curr. Biol. 8:919-922.
52. Wu, Y.H., Feenstra, M.G., Zhou, J.N., Liu, R.Y., Torano, J.S., Van Ran, H.J., Fischer, D.F., Ravid, R., Swaab, D.F. (2003). Molecular changes underlying reduced pineal melatonin levels in Alzheimer disease: alterations in preclinical and clinical stages. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 88:5898-5906.
53. Yasojima, K., McGeer, E.G., McGeer, P.L. (2001). High stability of mRNAs postmortem and protocols for their assessment by RT-PCR. Brain Res. Brain. Res. Protoc. 8:212-218.
54. Zeitzer, J.M., Daniels, J.E., Duffy, J.F., Klerman, E.B., Shanahan, T.L., Dijk, D.J., Czeisler, C.A. (1999). Do plasma melatonin concentrations decline with age? Am. J. Med. 107:432-436.
55. Zeitzer, J.M., Dijk, D.J., Kronauer, R., Brown, E., Czeisler, C. (2000). Sensitivity of the human circadian pacemaker to nocturnal light: melatonin phase resetting and suppression. J. Physiol. 526:695-702.