Lesions in suprachiasmatic nuclei simulate effects of pinealectomy on prolactin release in ovariectomized and sulpiride-treated female rats

Previous studies indicate that the pineal gland alters prolactin secretion, and it was suggested that at least part of the effect of the pineal hormone melatonin on prolactin release may be mediated by the hypothalamic structures. In this study, pinealectomy and lesions of the suprachiasmatic nuclei were found to alter serum levels of prolactin in the same direction, an effect that was counteracted by daily afternoon melatonin administration. Melatonin, but not other pineal indoles, also prevented sulpiride-induced prolactin secretion in pinealectomized or suprachiasmatic nuclei-lesioned and ovariectomized rats, which suggested that the pineal gland can modulate prolactin secretion by acting through a dopamine mechanism independent of hypothalamic suprachiasmatic structures.     

The pineal and melatonin: Regulators of circadian function in lower vertebrates

Summary The pineal has been identified as a major circadian pacemaker within the circadian system of a number of lower vertebrates although other pacemaking sites have been implicated as well. The rhythmic synthesis and secretion of the pineal hormone, melatonin, is suggested as the mechanism by which the pineal controls circadian oscillators located elsewhere. Both light and temperature cycles can entrain the pineal melatonin rhythm. The pineal, therefore, acts as a photo and thermoendocrine transducer which functions to synchronize internal cycle with cycles in the environment. A model is presented which portrays the pineal as a major component of a multioscillator circadian system and which suggests how these multiple circadian clocks are coupled to each other and to cycles of light and temperature in the external world.     

Polypeptides of cerebral subcellular fractions of differentially-housed mice

Summary The difference in protein of cerebral nerve-ending fractions caused by differential housing of male mice is of a quantitative nature and might reflect a change in the number of nerve-endings.This work was supported in part by Centro Nacional Ramón y Cajal (de la Seguridad Social) and Fundación Juan March and was conducted in part at the Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan Italy, while Dr F. P. Conde was on a research fellowship. Thanks are due to Mr Riccardo Gelati for technical assistance and to Mr Mario Azzini for the photography.     

Orally administered melatonin stimulates the 3α/β-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase but not the 5α-reductase in the ventral prostate and seminal vesicles of pinealectomized rats

Summary Pinealectomized rats were treated orally with melatonin (MEL) for 14 days. Prostates and seminal vesicles were investigated for the activity of the 4-3-ketosteroid-5-oxidoreductase (5-R) and of the 3/-hydroxysteroid-oxidoreductase (3-HSO). The activity of the 3a-HSO was significantly stimulated (p<0.01, Friedman test) when compared to controls. The activity of the 5-R did not change significantly.This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Sonderforschungsbereich 34 (Endokrinologie).     

The effect of chloramphenicol analogs on protein biosynthesis in a cell-freeEscherichia coli B system

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Laboratory of Biological Investigations.

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Laboratory for Chemistry of Antibiotics.     

The pineal and melatonin: Regulators of circadian function in lower vertebrates

Summary The pineal has been identified as a major circadian pacemaker within the circadian system of a number of lower vertebrates although other pacemaking sites have been implicated as well. The rhythmic synthesis and secretion of the pineal hormone, melatonin, is suggested as the mechanism by which the pineal controls circadian oscillators located elsewhere. Both light and temperature cycles can entrain the pineal melatonin rhythm. The pineal, therefore, acts as a photo and thermoendocrine transducer which functions to synchronize internal cycle with cycles in the environment. A model is presented which portrays the pineal as a major component of a multioscillator circadian system and which suggests how these multiple circadian clocks are coupled to each other and to cycles of light and temperature in the external world.     

Antihypertensive effect of Co-factors of the synthesis and precursors of nucleic acids in experimental hypertension

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Indoleamines and the UV-light-sensitive photoperiodic responses of the melanocyte network: a biological calendar?

The pineal, serotoninergic and pigmented neurons are associated with light-dependent sleep/arousal, serving as a biological clock with a circadian rhythm. This rhythm is maintained by melatonin which serves to recognise the dark phase. The neural network that responds to seasonal variations in day/night length has not been identified. The present study demonstrates that melanocytes in human skin respond to changes in the duration of UV exposure, and can serve as a biological calendar. These responses are mediated by two indoleamines, serotonin and melatonin. Higher melatonin levels correspond to long nights and long days (short UV pulse), while high serotonin levels in the presence of melatonin reflect short nights and long days (long UV exposure). This response recapitulates the sleep/arousal patterns in animals exposed to large variations in day/night cycle that cause changes in coat colour from pure white in winter to complete repigmentation in summer.     

In situ noradrenaline-induced stimulation of dog thyrotrophic secretion

Summary Anterior pituitary microinfusions of noradrenaline in the dog causes a significant release of TSH while adrenaline and dopamine do not.This study was supported by Grant No. S1-049 from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnológicas, Grant No. 281 from the Consejo de Desorrallo Cientifico y Humanístico, Central University of Venezuela, and Fundación José María Vargas.     

Changes in the lumen of coronary vessels under oligemic hypotension

Conclusions The decrease of circulating blood volume, resulting in oligemic hypotension, may evoke in anaesthetized cat the active constrictory coronary vessel responses of 2 types, one occuring immediately after start of the hypotension and the other having a significantly prolonged latency.

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Concurrent occurrence of elevated ketone body and depressed carnitine level in underfed guinea-pigs

Summary Food ingestion of male guinea-pigs was restricted to 10 g/day. Total carnitine content of liver of the underfed animals fell to 3.75 moles per liver (46.1% of control). Serum level of total carnitine was 35.0 nmoles/ml (64.4%) in the underfed animals while they developed high ketonemia, 384.2 nmoles/ml (555.2%). In restricted animals the carnitine levels also decreased in the muscles.     

Motilities of isolated and aggregated mice; A difference in ultradian rhythmicity

Summary Isolated mice display higher locomotor activity and greater sensitivity to d-amphetamine than aggregated mice. Ultradian motility rhythms can be shown to differ both quantitatively and qualitatively between isolated and aggregated mice.This study was supported in part by Centro Ramón y Cajal and Fundación Juan March. Present address of F.V.D. is Centre de Neurochimie, 11 rue Humann, F-67085 Strasbourg Cédex (France).     

Topochemical approach to the structure-activity relation. Retroenantio-Gly5,10-gramicidin S

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Melatonin decreases the amplitude of the b-wave of the human electroretinogram

In a double-blind placebo crossover study of 13 healthy volunteers, the pineal hormone melatonin (10 mg) was given at 4 pm, and the electroretinogram measured under conditions of dark and light adaptation. A significant diminution of b-wave amplitude was found under both photopic (=5.4 V, p<0.05) and scotopic conditions (=7.4 V, p<0.01). These data indicate that melatonin may transduce the dark signal at the level of the retina as well as the pineal. Acute administration of melatonin decreases sensitivity to light.     

Study of neurosecretory cells ofHelix pomatia by intracellular dye injection

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Pineal ‘synaptic’ ribbon numbers and melatonin synthesis of rat are resistant to guanethidine sympathectomy

Chemical sympathectomy is widely used to study the impact of the noradrenergic system on neuronal and neuroendocrine circuits. We tested the effects of intraperitoneal injections of guanethidine, an adrenergic neuron blocking agent, on selected functional parameters of the rat pineal gland which are known to be under sympathetic influence. The reliability of the method was demonstrated by the clear enophthalmus developed by experimental animals. However, neither the numbers of synaptic ribbons nor melatonin synthesis differed between treated and control rats, both parameters exhibiting the nocturnal increase seen in intact animals. These results are in striking contrast to those obtained upon chemical sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine or surgical superior cervical ganglionectomy. We conclude that guanethidine is not capable of sufficiently removing noradrenergic influence from the rat pineal gland, and that this substance is thus inferior to other experimental methods of sympathectomy.     

Enzymatic reactions in the presence of non-ionic polymers

Zusammenfassung Die enzymatische Spaltungsgeschwindigkeit von synthetischer hochmolekularer Stärke mit-Amylase wird in Gegenwart von neutralen (nicht ionogenen) Polymeren erhöht. Die katalytische Wirkung hängt von der Konzentration des Polymeren und dessen Molekulargewicht ab. Die Zunahme der-Amylase-Hemmung durch spezifische-Amylase-Antikörper in Gegenwart von neutralem Dextran wird nachgewiesen.     

Studies on carbon turnover in the freshwater snailAncylus fluviatilis (Basommatophora)

Summary Carbon turnover rates of young specimens of the freshwater snailAncylus fluviatilis are nearly equal for all organs, whereas in adult specimens intestinal organs (midgut gland and others) show considerably higher turnover rates than the rest animal (animal without organs of the pallial complex).Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Scarites buparius,a caraboid beetle with an X1X2Y sex-chromosomes system

Summary Scarites buparius has 2n=37 and n=17+X₁X₂Y. This multiple sex-chromosomes system seems to be the result of a reciprocal translocation between the primitive X-chromosome and an autosome. This is the first caraboid beetle, exceptingCicindela spp., that has multiple sex-chromosomes.This work has been supported by a grant of the Comisión Asesora de Investigación Científica y Técnica, No. 1.552.