title: Interferon-gamma modulates melatonin production in rat pineal glands in organ culture.
abstract: The effect of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) on melatonin production was determined in rat pineal glands in organ culture. IFN-gamma enhanced the production of melatonin in the glands incubated with either 10 nM or 1,000 nM isoproterenol (ISO, a beta-adrenergic receptor agonist) but decreased the 100 nM ISO response. The enhanced melatonin production was accompanied by either unchanged or a lower level of N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity, whereas the suppression was accompanied by a reduced NAT activity. IFN-gamma did not change the activity of the enzyme hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT) in the ISO-stimulated pineal glands. The results indicate that IFN-gamma has a dual action on the pineal gland: One is to increase melatonin production through yet unknown mechanisms, and the other is to suppress NAT activity. These results also suggest that the pineal gland, under physiological stimulation, is modulated by IFN-gamma to increase melatonin production. A hypothetical model is proposed to explain the delicate regulation of pineal function by the immune system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284-7762.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Withyachumnarnkul
authors.forename: K O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Nonaka
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
mesh_terms: D000121:Acetylserotonin O-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000121:Acetylserotonin O-Methyltransferase; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase; D008550:Melatonin; D007545:Isoproterenol