title: Melatonin enhances lymphocyte proliferation and decreases the release of pituitary pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides in surgically traumatized rats.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of melatonin (MT) on spleen lymphocyte proliferation and release of pituitary pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides in surgically traumatized rats. MT prevented the depression of lymphocyte proliferation induced by trauma in vivo and in vitro, and prevented the decrease of beta-endorphin and adrenocorticotropin in the pituitary in vivo, but dose-dependently inhibited the release of POMC-derived peptides from the pituitary in vitro. The culture media of the pituitaries derived from the traumatized rats inhibited lymphocyte proliferation of normal rats. These results suggest that MT can improve the trauma-induced depression of lymphocyte proliferation and inhibit the release of POMC-derived peptides. The neuroimmunomodulatory role of MT and POMC-derived peptides deserves further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture Research, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying-Su
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jian-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiao-Ding
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Gen-Cheng
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; D014363:Tryptamines; C057154:luzindole; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D008550:Melatonin