Summary.
Male C57 mice received 10 consecutive daily intraperitoneal injections of melatonin, 5-methoxytryptamine or 5-methoxytryptophol (5 mg/kg body weight). Control mice received the alcoholic saline vehicle. All mice were sacrificed 24 hours after the last injection. Following extraction of RNA from peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) and splenocytes, the level of gene expression was analyzed with the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results revealed that melatonin up-regulated the level of gene expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and stem cell factor (SCF) in PEC, and the level of gene expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), M-CSF, TNF-α, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and SCF in splenocytes. 5-Methoxytryptamine augmented the level of gene expression of TGF-β, M-CSF and SCF in PEC, and the level of gene expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, M-CSF and SCF in splenocytes. 5-Methoxytryptophol elevated the level of gene expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, TGF-β and M-CSF in PEC, and the level of gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-1β, M-CSF, TNF-α, IFN-γ and SCF in splenocytes.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received May 23, 2000; accepted November 2, 2000
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, F., Ng, T. & Fung, M. Pineal indoles stimulate the gene expression of immunomodulating cytokines. J Neural Transm 108, 397–405 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s007020170061
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s007020170061