title: Ontogeny of a diurnal rhythm in arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase mRNA in rat pineal gland.
abstract: Melatonin synthesis in the pineal gland of adult rats is linked to cAMP-dependent transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms affecting its rate-limiting enzyme, the arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT). During development of the pineal gland, neuronal control gains access to the earlier matured cAMP-signaling pathway to shape the day-night rhythm in AA-NAT enzymatic activity. By semiquantitative in situ hybridization we analyzed if the developmental onset of a rhythmic AA-NAT activity is correlated to a temporally parallel onset in AA-NAT transcription. We found that AA-NAT mRNA levels in rat pineal gland become rhythmic at postnatal day 5. Thus, AA-NAT gene transcription in rat pineal gland starts to show day-night differences shortly prior to the appearance of a rhythmic AA-NAT activity.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie, Anatomisches Institut II, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität-Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pfeffer
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Stehle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase