Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of melatonin on PRL secretion during different photoperiods of the day in prepubertal and pubertal healthy subjects

  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effect of melatonin on PRL secretion has not been established yet. In an attempt to establish whether PRL response to melatonin changes in relation to the photoperiods of the day and pubertal maturation, we evaluated PRL plasma levels after melatonin administration in 19 prepubertal and pubertal healthy subjects of both sexes in two different periods of the day: in the morning, when the sensitivity to melatonin is low, and in the afternoon, when the responsiveness to melatonin is higher. Melatonin was given im at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg BW PRL plasma levels were determined with double antibody RIA method. When melatonin was administered in the morning, all pubertal subjects and 7 of 9 prepubertal ones showed no significant variation of PRL levels; a significant decrease was observed in the other 2 prepubertal subjects. On the contrary, when melatonin was given in the afternoon, a significant increase in PRL plasma levels was seen in all pubertal subjects; no significant changes were found in 6 prepubertal ones, while in the other 3 a marked decrease could be observed. The results reveal that the response of PRL to melatonin depends upon the times of day of administration and on pubertal development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ronnekliev O.K., McCann S.M. The effect of pinealectomy on plasma gonadotropins and prolactin in the rat. Physiologist 16: 436, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Shino M., Arimura A., Rennels E.G. Effects of blinding, olfactory bulbectomy, and pinealectomy on prolactin and growth hormone cells of the rat, with special reference to ultrastructure. Am. J. Anat. 139:191, 1974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Reiter R.J. The pineal and its hormone in the control of reproduction in mammals. Endocr. Rev. 1:109, 1980.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Turek F.W., Campbell O.S. Photoperiodic regulation of neuroendocrine-gonadal activity. Biol. Reprod. 20: 32, 1979.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kamberi I.A., Mical R.S., Porter J.C. Effects of melatonin and serotonin on the release of FSH and prolactin. Endocrinology 88:1288, 1971.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chen H.J., Brainard G.C., III, Reiter R.J. Melatonin given in the morning prevents the.suppressive action on the reproductive system of melatonin given in late afternoon. Neuroendocrinology 31:129, 1980.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Smythe G.A., Compton P.J. and Lazarus L The action of L-dopa and 2-bromo-or-ergocryptine. In: Pecile A., Müller E. (Eds.), Growth hormone and related peptides. American Elsevier, New York, 1976, p. 222.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Tamarkin L., Westrom W.K., Hamill A.I., Goldman B.D. Effects of melatonin on the reproductive system of male and female Syrian hamsters. A diurnal rhythm in sensitivity to melatonin. Endocrinology 99:1534, 1976.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Minato K., Takahashi K. The role of the pineal gland on the regulation system of hypophysial prolactin secretion. The prolactin-releasing and release-inhibiting action of the rat pineal gland. Folia Endocrinol. Jpn. 58: 945, 1982.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Coculescu M., Simionescu L., Cristoveanu A., Serbanescu A.L., Matulevicius V., Grigorescu F., Temeli E. Administration of arginine-vasotocin (AVT) to human subjects. Prog. Brain Res. 52: 535, 1979.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Vaughan M.K., Blask D.E., Vaughan G.M., Reiter R.J. Dose-dependent prolactin releasing activity of arginine vasotocin in intact and pinealectomized estrogen-progesterone treated adult male rats. Endocrinology 99:1319, 1976.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Demoulin A., Hudson B., Legros J.J., Franchimont P. Influence d’un extrait de glandes pineales ovines sur la libération de prolactine in vitro. Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. (Paris), 1 71:1134, 1977.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Silman R.E., Leone R.M., Hooper R.F.L., Preece M.A. Melatonin, the pineal gland and human puberty. Nature 282: 301, 1979.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Lissoni P., Resentini M., Mauri R., Morabito F., Djemal S., Fraschini F. A study of the melatonin circadian rhythm in normal subjects and cases of delayed puberty. J. Endocrinol. Invest. 6 (Suppl. 1): 25, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Martin J.E., Sattler C. Selectivity of melatonin pituitary inhibitory for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone. Neuroendocrinology 34:112, 1982.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Anton Tay F., Chou C., Anton S., Wurtman R.Y. Brain serotonin concentration: elevation following intraperitoneal administration of melatonin. Science 162: 277, 1968.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Zisapel N., Laudon M. Dopamine release induced by electrical field stimulation of rat hypothalamus in vitro: inhibition by melatonin. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 104:1610, 1982.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Cardinali D.P., Vacas M.I., Boyar E.E. Specific binding of melatonin in bovine brain. Endocrinology 105: 437, 1979.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Brown G., Grota L., Bubenik G., Niles L., Tsui H. Physiologic regulation of melatonin. Adv. Biosci. 29: 95, 1981.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Auxologico Italiano di Piancavallo, Milano, Italy

    R. Mauri, P. Lissoni, M. Resentini, C. De Medici & F. Morabito

  2. Cattedra di Chemioterapia, School of Medicine, University of Milano, Via Vanvitelli 32, 20129, Milano, Italy

    S. Djemal &  Franco Fraschini

  3. Cattedra di Fisiologia, University of Modena, 41100, Modena, Italy

    L. Di Bella

Authors
  1. R. Mauri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. Lissoni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Resentini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. De Medici
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. F. Morabito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S. Djemal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. L. Di Bella
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Franco Fraschini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mauri, R., Lissoni, P., Resentini, M. et al. Effects of melatonin on PRL secretion during different photoperiods of the day in prepubertal and pubertal healthy subjects. J Endocrinol Invest 8, 337–341 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348509

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348509

Key-words

Search

Navigation