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Eugster PJ, Dunand M, Grund B, Ivanyuk A, Fogarasi Szabo N, Bardinet C, Abid K, Buclin T, Grouzmann E, Chtioui H. Quantification of serotonin and eight of its metabolites in plasma of healthy volunteers by mass spectrometry. Clin Chim Acta 2022; 535:19-26. [PMID: 35963304 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2022.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin is transformed into melatonin under the control of the light/dark cycle, representing a cornerstone of circadian rhythmicity. Serotonin also undergoes extensive metabolism to produce 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), a biomarker for the diagnosis and monitoring of serotonin secreting neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). While serotonin, melatonin and their metabolites are part of an integrated comprehensive system, human observations about their respective plasma concentrations are still limited. We report here for the first time a multiplex UHPLC-MS/MS assay for the quantification of serotonin, 5-HIAA, 5-hydroxytryptophol (5-HTPL), N-acetyl-serotonin (NAS), Mel, 6-OH-Mel, 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MT), 5-methoxytryptophol (5-MTPL), and 5-methoxyindoleacetic acid (5-MIAA) in human plasma. Analytes were extracted by protein precipitation and solid phase extraction. Plasma concentrations for these analytes were determined in 102 healthy volunteers. The LLOQ of the assay ranges from 2.2 nM for serotonin to 1.0 pM for 6-OH-Mel. This sensitivity enables the quantification of circulating serotonin, 5-HIAA, NAS, Mel, and 5-MIAA, even at their lowest diurnal concentrations. This assay will enable specific, precise and accurate measurement of serotonin, Mel and their metabolites to draw a detailed picture of this complex pineal metabolism, allowing a dynamic understanding of these pathways and providing promising biomarkers and a metabolic signature for serotonin-secreting NETs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe J Eugster
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Marielle Dunand
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Baptiste Grund
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anton Ivanyuk
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Fogarasi Szabo
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carine Bardinet
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Karim Abid
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thierry Buclin
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Eric Grouzmann
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Haithem Chtioui
- Service of Clinical Pharmacology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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Raghavan R, Anand NS, Wang G, Hong X, Pearson C, Zuckerman B, Xie H, Wang X. Association between cord blood metabolites in tryptophan pathway and childhood risk of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:270. [PMID: 35810183 PMCID: PMC9271093 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01992-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in tryptophan and serotonin have been implicated in various mental disorders; but studies are limited on child neurodevelopmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This prospective cohort study examined the associations between levels of tryptophan and select metabolites (5-methoxytryptophol (5-MTX), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), serotonin, N-acetyltrytophan) in cord plasma (collected at birth) and physician-diagnosed ASD, ADHD and other developmental disabilities (DD) in childhood. The study sample (n = 996) derived from the Boston Birth Cohort, which included 326 neurotypical children, 87 ASD, 269 ADHD, and 314 other DD children (mutually exclusive). These participants were enrolled at birth and followed-up prospectively (from October 1, 1998 to June 30, 2018) at the Boston Medical Center. Higher levels of cord 5-MTX was associated with a lower risk of ASD (aOR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.77) and ADHD (aOR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.65, 0.96) per Z-score increase, after adjusting for potential confounders. Similarly, children with cord 5-MTX ≥ 25th percentile (vs. <25th percentile) had a reduction in ASD (aOR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.49) and ADHD risks (aOR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.29, 0.70). In contrast, higher levels of cord tryptophan, 5-HTP and N-acetyltryptophan were associated with higher risk of ADHD, with aOR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.51; aOR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.61; and aOR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.53, respectively, but not with ASD and other DD. Cord serotonin was not associated with ASD, ADHD, and other DD. Most findings remained statistically significant in the sensitivity and subgroup analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramkripa Raghavan
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Center on Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Neha S. Anand
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Center on Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Guoying Wang
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Center on Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Xiumei Hong
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Center on Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Colleen Pearson
- grid.189504.10000 0004 1936 7558Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA USA
| | - Barry Zuckerman
- grid.189504.10000 0004 1936 7558Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA USA
| | - Hehuang Xie
- Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology, Fralin Life Sciences Institute at Virginia Technology, Blacksburg, VA USA
| | - Xiaobin Wang
- Center on Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Umano GR, Maddaluno I, Riccio S, Lanzaro F, Antignani R, Giuliano M, Luongo C, Festa A, Miraglia Del Giudice E, Grandone A. Central precocious puberty during COVID-19 pandemic and sleep disturbance: an exploratory study. Ital J Pediatr 2022; 48:60. [PMID: 35461296 PMCID: PMC9034068 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-022-01256-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Increased incidence of central precocious puberty (CPP) after coronavirus infectious disease-19 lockdown has been reported. Our study aims in investigating changes in CPP rates and in sleep patterns in CPP and healthy controls. Methods CPP were retrospectively evaluated from April 2020 to April 2021. Parents of girls diagnosed with CPP during lockdown and of matched healthy controls filled out a questionnaire about sleep disturbances (SDSC questionnaire) and sleep schedules. Results Thirty-five CPP and 37 controls completed the survey. Incidence of new CPP cases significantly increased in 2020–2021 compared to 2017–2020 (5:100 vs 2:100, p = 0.02). Sleep disturbance rates did not differ between CPP and healthy controls before lockdown. During lockdown, CPP reported higher rates of sleep disturbs for total score (p = 0.005), excessive somnolence (p = 0.049), sleep breathing disorders (p = 0.049), and sleep–wake transition disorders (p = 0.005). Moreover, CPP group more frequently shifted toward later bedtime (p = 0.03) during lockdown compared to controls. Hours of sleep and smartphone exposure around bedtime did not differ between groups. Conclusions Our study confirms the observation of increased incidence of CPP after lockdown measures. Additionally, CPP showed higher rates of sleep disturbances and later bedtime compared to controls. The causality link between sleep disturbances and CPP should be further investigated to gain knowledge in this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina R Umano
- Department of the Woman, the Child, of General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Ivan Maddaluno
- Department of the Woman, the Child, of General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Riccio
- Department of the Woman, the Child, of General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Lanzaro
- Department of the Woman, the Child, of General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | | | - Maria Giuliano
- Società Italiana Medici Pediatri Campania (SIMPe), Teramo, Italy
| | - Caterina Luongo
- Department of the Woman, the Child, of General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Adalgisa Festa
- Department of the Woman, the Child, of General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Emanuele Miraglia Del Giudice
- Department of the Woman, the Child, of General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Grandone
- Department of the Woman, the Child, of General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
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Checa-Ros A, Muñoz-Hoyos A, Molina-Carballo A, Muñoz-Gallego A, Narbona-Galdó S, Jerez-Calero A, Augustín-Morales MDC. Analysis of Different Melatonin Secretion Patterns in Children With Sleep Disorders: Melatonin Secretion Patterns in Children. J Child Neurol 2017; 32:1000-1008. [PMID: 28911277 DOI: 10.1177/0883073817726680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze circadian patterns of urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) excretion in children with primary sleep disorders in comparison with healthy controls. A total of 124 control children and 124 patients (aged 4-14 years) diagnosed with diverse primary sleep disorders were recruited. aMT6s concentrations were measured in diurnal and nocturnal urine, as well as in 24-hour urine. aMT6s levels were significantly higher and showed significantly more evident circadian variations in the control group ( P < .001). Four different melatonin (aMT) production and excretion patterns were distinguished in the group with sleep disorders: (1) standard aMT production pattern, (2) low aMT production pattern, (3) aMT production pattern with absence of circadian variation, and (4) aMT hyperproduction pattern. This study highlights the importance of analyzing specific alterations of aMT secretion in each sleep disorder and provides evidences to explain why not all children with sleep disturbances do respond to aMT treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Checa-Ros
- 1 San Cecilio University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio Muñoz-Hoyos
- 1 San Cecilio University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio Molina-Carballo
- 1 San Cecilio University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain
| | | | - Susana Narbona-Galdó
- 1 San Cecilio University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio Jerez-Calero
- 1 San Cecilio University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain
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Poynter JN, Fonstad R, Tolar J, Spector LG, Ross JA. Incidence of intracranial germ cell tumors by race in the United States, 1992-2010. J Neurooncol 2014; 120:381-8. [PMID: 25086758 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-014-1562-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the etiology of intracranial germ cell tumors (iGCTs), although international incidence data suggest that the highest incidence rates occur in Asian countries. In this analysis, we used 1992-2010 data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program to determine whether rates of iGCT were also high in Asian/Pacific Islanders living in the United States. Frequencies, incidence rates and survival rates were evaluated for the entire cohort and for demographic subgroups based on sex, age category (0-9 and 10-29 years), race (white, black, and Asian/Pacific Islander), and tumor location (pineal gland vs. other) as sample size permitted. Analyses were conducted using SEER*Stat 8.1.2. We observed a significantly higher incidence rate of iGCT in Asian/Pacific Islanders compared with whites (RR = 2.05, 95 % CI 1.57-2.64, RR = 3.04, 95 % CI 1.75-5.12 for males and females, respectively) in the 10-29 year age group. This difference was observed for tumors located both in the pineal gland and for tumors in other locations. Five-year relative survival differed by demographic and tumor characteristics, although these differences were not observed in comparisons limited to cases treated with radiation. Increased incidence rates of iGCT in individuals of Asian descent in the SEER registry are in agreement with data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, where Japan and Singapore were among the countries with highest incidence. The increased incidence in individuals of Asian ancestry in the United States suggests that underlying genetic susceptibility may play a role in the etiology of iGCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny N Poynter
- Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St SE MMC 715, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA,
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Ouzir M, Bouhaddou N, Khalki H, Lakhdar-Ghazal N. Physiological and pharmacological properties of 5-methoxytryptophol. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2013; 8:355-364. [PMID: 30736152 DOI: 10.1586/17446651.2013.811866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
5-methoxytryptophol (5-ML) is a pineal indoleamine derived from serotonin shown to be biologically active in a number of species. This indolamine exhibits a circadian pattern synchronized with the day-night cycle with significant increases during daylight, already recognized in vertebrates. The multiplicity of physiological and endocrine functions of 5-ML is remarkable; it is involved in circadian rhythms, reproduction and sexual processes. Furthermore, a number of pharmacological benefits of 5-ML have been reported, including immunomodulatory, antitumor and antioxidative activities. However, the molecular mechanisms of these pharmacological effects remain unclear. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview on the general properties and physiological functions of 5-ML. An attempt has been made to fully document all studies performed using 5-ML. In addition, this article aims to gain insight into the current state of knowledge regarding pharmacological and therapeutic effects of this indoleamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mounir Ouzir
- a Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco.
| | - Nezha Bouhaddou
- b Unit of Research on Biological Rhythms and Environment, Faculty of Sciences University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Hanane Khalki
- c Department of Biology, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Neurobiology and Behavior, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia University Cady Ayyad, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Nouria Lakhdar-Ghazal
- b Unit of Research on Biological Rhythms and Environment, Faculty of Sciences University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
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7
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Wada K, Nakamura K, Tamai Y, Tsuji M, Masue T, Watanabe K, Ando K, Nagata C. Associations of urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin with demographics, body mass, sex steroids, and lifestyle factors in preschool Japanese children. Ann Epidemiol 2012; 23:60-5. [PMID: 23266102 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2012.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2012] [Revised: 10/10/2012] [Accepted: 11/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We aimed to assess the associations of sex, age, body mass, sex steroid hormones, and lifestyle factors with the levels of melatonin in young children. METHODS This study followed a cross-sectional design and was conducted two preschools in Japan. Subjects were 235 boys and 203 girls, aged 3-6 years. Information related to demographics, body mass, and lifestyle factors was obtained from parent-administered questionnaires. The levels of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin and dehydroepiandrosterone in first-void morning urine were measured by radioimmunoassay. Urinary estrone, estradiol, testosterone, and 5-androstene-3β, 17α diol levels were measured by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS The creatinine-corrected 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels and the estimated value of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion were higher in girls than in boys. After adjustments for age, the creatinine-corrected 6-sulfatoxymelatonin was negatively associated with weight and body mass index among boys and with weight and height among girls. However, the estimated value of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion was not associated with any indices of body mass. No significant relationships of urinary sex steroids, light exposure at night, sleep time, sedentary lifestyles, or passive smoking with urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin were observed. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that melatonin levels depend on sex and body size among young healthy children. Our results should be confirmed in future researches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Wada
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan.
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Dopfel RP, Schulmeister K, Schernhammer ES. Nutritional and lifestyle correlates of the cancer-protective hormone melatonin. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 31:140-8. [PMID: 17418976 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdp.2007.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/14/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Despite growing support for melatonin as a promising agent for cancer treatment and possibly cancer prevention, few studies have elucidated factors that influence endogenous melatonin. This overview summarizes dietary and lifestyle factors that have been shown to affect circulating melatonin levels. BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS To date, many animal studies and in vitro experiments have illustrated that melatonin possesses oncostatic activity. Mechanisms that are currently being studied include melatonin's activity as an indirect antioxidant and free radical scavenger; its action on the immune system; suppression of fatty acid uptake and metabolism; and its ability to increase the degradation of calmoduline and to induce apoptosis. Studies further suggest that melatonin reduces local estrogen synthesis, through down-regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary reproductive axis and direct actions of melatonin at the tumor cell level, thus behaving as a SERM. THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS Several small clinical trials have demonstrated that melatonin has some potential, either alone or in combination with standard cancer therapy, to yield favorable responses. Melatonin or its precursor tryptophan have been found in numerous edible plants, but more studies are needed to evaluate the influence of diets rich in tryptophan and melatonin on circulating melatonin levels in humans. Age, BMI, parity, and the use of certain drugs remain the factors that have been associated most consistently with aMT6s levels. DISCUSSION Further insights into the effects of dietary and lifestyle factors that modulate circulating melatonin levels may provide the basis for novel interventions to exploit melatonin for the prevention and treatment of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina P Dopfel
- Harvard University, A.L.M. Program, Biological Sciences, 51 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Molina-Carballo A, Fernández-Tardáguila E, Uberos-Fernández J, Seiquer I, Contreras-Chova F, Muñoz-Hoyos A. Longitudinal study of the simultaneous secretion of melatonin and leptin during normal puberty. HORMONE RESEARCH 2007; 68:11-9. [PMID: 17220633 DOI: 10.1159/000098545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2006] [Accepted: 10/27/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Pubertal changes are a consequence of the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis due to an increase in the frequency and magnitude of pulses of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which may depend on the intrinsic properties of the neurons of the hypothalamic arcuatus nucleus, or on the influence of neurotransmitters and/or neuromodulators. We evaluated the serum concentrations of melatonin and leptin in healthy prepubertal and adolescent subjects of both sexes, to define their participation at the initial stages and during the progression of pubertal development. METHODS 80 pediatric subjects (47 females and 33 males), aged 6-18 years, were divided into 2 groups, prepubertal (n = 25) and adolescent (n = 55), according to the absence or presence, respectively, of physical signs of pubertal development. The subjects were assessed on two occasions: at the time of their inclusion in the study, and 12-18 months later when the subject had advanced one pubertal stage according to the Tanner classification. Blood was obtained in fasting for clinical purposes and for the hormonal study. Melatonin and leptin were measured by radioimmunoanalysis. RESULTS As described previously, melatonin decreases at the onset of puberty and during pubertal development. Both the absolute melatonin value and the decrease between evaluations tended to be greater in females; the variations were correlated with neither an increase in body weight nor with the degree of pubertal development. The concentration of leptin increased in both sexes with the progression of puberty, this value being 40% greater in women, and correlated with the indicators of an increase in body volume and fat accumulation. Although its concentration remained stable between evaluations for both sexes, among the males the association between leptin and pubertal development took place at the start of the process, while for the females we observed a significant overall association between pubertal stage and leptin concentration, this association being stronger at more advanced Tanner stages. Neither at the onset of puberty nor during its course did we observe any significant relation between melatonin concentration and any of the Tanner stages, whether for males or for females. Neither was there any correlation between the absolute values or rates of modification of melatonin and leptin. CONCLUSION According to the evolutionary dynamics of their respective concentrations, both initially and during pubertal progress, melatonin and leptin do not interact in the initiation or progression of human pubertal development, and do not seem to play a key role in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Molina-Carballo
- Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio de Granada, Granada, España
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10
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Yun AJ, Bazar KA, Lee PY. Pineal attrition, loss of cognitive plasticity, and onset of puberty during the teen years: is it a modern maladaptation exposed by evolutionary displacement? Med Hypotheses 2005; 63:939-50. [PMID: 15504560 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2004.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2004] [Accepted: 07/14/2004] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive plasticity, a developmental trait that promotes acquisition of complex skills such as language or playing musical instruments, diminishes substantially during puberty. The loss of plasticity has been attributed to surge of sex steroids during adolescence, but the phenomenon remains poorly understood. We hypothesize that pineal involution during puberty may contribute to plasticity decay. The pineal gland produces melatonin, the level of which declines dramatically during onset of puberty. Emerging evidence suggest that melatonin may modulate cognitive plasticity, independent of the effects of sex steroids, and low sex steroids and high melatonin may be simultaneously required to maintain cognitive plasticity. Potential mechanisms by which melatonin may modulate plasticity are examined within the sleep and hippocampal long-term potentiation frameworks. Implications for psychiatric conditions that involve sleep disorders and learning dysfunctions such as schizophrenia and autism are discussed, and the potential adaptive roles of postprandial and postcoital sleep are explored. From the Darwinian perspective, development and reproductive maturity may represent distinct phases that require tailored cognitive strategies to maximize fitness. While cognitive flexibility and susceptibility to new skills may be paramount during development, reduced cognitive flexibility and increased cognitive determinism may enable more efficient responses to stimuli during adulthood. Thus, cognitive plasticity and cognitive determinism may represent trade-off adaptations and different dimensions of intelligence. The decline of plasticity and emergence of puberty during the second decade may be relics of prehistoric times when the human lifespan was short and the environment was relatively simple and static. Today, when the environment is more complex and dynamic, and humans are living far longer, the early obsolescence of plasticity during puberty may represent a Darwinian inefficiency exposed by evolutionary displacement. Regulation of plasticity may be a systemic phenomenon, as exemplified by the association of learning disability with allergic conditions, a form of immune plasticity dysfunction. Ramifications for other plastic functions that decline during puberty such as wound healing and hyaline cartilage regeneration are explored. Like the plasticity of immunity and cognition, the plasticity of hyaline cartilage during youth may enable hosts to respond to ecologic opportunities and generate the optimally adapted adult phenotype. Pineal involution may represent a potential target for therapeutic extension or restoration of plasticity after puberty. Extending plasticity may have far-reaching consequences for human evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Joon Yun
- Stanford University, 470 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA.
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11
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Zawilska JB, Rosiak J, Vivien-Roels B, Skene DJ, Pévet P, Nowak JZ. Daily variation in the concentration of 5-methoxytryptophol and melatonin in the duck pineal gland and plasma. J Pineal Res 2002; 32:214-8. [PMID: 11982789 DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-079x.2002.01835.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The duck pineal gland rhythmically produces two 5-methoxyindole compounds, i.e. 5-methoxytryptophol and melatonin. 5-Methoxytryptophol levels are low at night and high during the day, while melatonin concentrations are high at night and low during the day. The melatonin rhythm reflects oscillations in the activity of serotonin N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT; a penultimate and key regulatory enzyme in the melatonin biosynthetic pathway). The activity of hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT; an enzyme involved in the synthesis of both 5-methoxytryptophol and melatonin) does not exhibit any significant rhythmic changes throughout the 24-hr period. Plasma levels of melatonin exhibited daily changes that were parallel to fluctuations in pineal melatonin content. Although plasma concentrations of 5-methoxytryptophol were low in ducks, they showed daily variations. The mean 5-methoxytryptophol concentration between zeitgeber time 9 (ZT9) and ZT15 was 2.4-times higher than the mean value for samples collected between ZT18 and ZT3. These findings indicate that in the duck the pineal production of 5-methoxytryptophol and melatonin may be inversely correlated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolanta B Zawilska
- Department of Biogenic Amines, Polish Academy of Sciences, POB-225, Lodz-1, Poland.
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Zawilska JB, Rosiak J, Vivien-Roels B, Skene DJ, Pévet P, Nowak JZ. Effects of cycloheximide and aminophylline on 5-methoxytryptophol and melatonin contents in the chick pineal gland. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2000; 120:212-9. [PMID: 11078632 DOI: 10.1006/gcen.2000.7552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The chick pineal gland rhythmically synthesizes two 5-methoxyindoles, melatonin and 5-methoxytryptophol. These rhythms are circadian in nature and have opposite phases. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, and aminophylline, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, on 5-methoxytryptophol content in the chick pineal gland and to compare this with the drugs' action on pineal melatonin production. Inhibition of melatonin biosynthesis by cycloheximide (1 mg/kg, i.p. ), revealed by a marked reduction in the nighttime activity of serotonin N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT; a key regulatory enzyme in melatonin synthesis) and melatonin concentrations, was accompanied by a significant increase in 5-methoxytryptophol content. In contrast, administration of aminophylline (100 mg/kg, i.p.) to light-exposed chicks significantly increased pineal AA-NAT activity and melatonin levels and decreased 5-methoxytryptophol concentrations. It is concluded that in the chick the production of pineal 5-methoxytryptophol and melatonin is inversely correlated.
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Affiliation(s)
- J B Zawilska
- Department of Biogenic Amines, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodz 1, 90-950, Poland
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García JJ, Reiter RJ, Cabrera JJ, Pié J, Mayo JC, Sáinz RM, Tan DX, Qi W, Acuña-Castroviejo D. 5-methoxytryptophol preserves hepatic microsomal membrane fluidity during oxidative stress. J Cell Biochem 2000; 76:651-7. [PMID: 10653984 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4644(20000315)76:4<651::aid-jcb13>3.0.co;2-h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Lipid peroxidation is a degenerative chain reaction in biological membranes that may be initiated by exposure to free radicals. This process is associated with changes in the membrane fluidity and loss of several cell membrane-dependent functions. 5-methoxytryptophol (ML) is an indole isolated from the mammalian pineal gland. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ML (0. 01mM-10mM) on membrane fluidity modulated by lipid peroxidation. Hepatic microsomes obtained from rats were incubated with or without ML (0.01-10 mM). Then lipid peroxidation was induced by FeCl(3), ADP, and NADPH. Membrane fluidity was determined using fluorescence spectroscopy. Malonaldehyde (MDA) +4-hydroxyalkenals (4-HDA) concentrations were estimated as an indicator of the degree of lipid peroxidation. With oxidative stress, membrane fluidity decreased and MDA+4-HDA levels increased. ML (0.01-3 mM) reduced membrane rigidity and the rise in MDA+4-HDA formation in a concentration-dependent manner. 10 mM ML protected against lipid peroxidation but failed to prevent the membrane rigidity. In the absence of oxidative reagents, ML (0.3-10 mM) decreased membrane fluidity whereas MDA+4-HDA levels remained unchanged. This indicates that ML may interact with membrane lipids. The results presented here suggest that ML may be another pineal indoleamine (in addition to melatonin) that resists membrane rigidity due to lipid peroxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J García
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
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14
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Vivien-Roels B, Pévet P, Zarazaga L, Malpaux B, Chemineau P. Daily and light-at-night induced variations of circulating 5-methoxytryptophol (5-ML) in ewes with respectively high and low nocturnal melatonin secretion. J Pineal Res 1999; 27:230-6. [PMID: 10551771 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-079x.1999.tb00620.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to determine whether the genetic differences previously reported in ewe plasma melatonin concentrations were correlated with differences in the synthesis and release of other 5-methoxyindoles. To determine if 5-methoxytryptophol (5-ML), which is known to be present in large amounts in the sheep pineal gland, is released, as is melatonin, into the general circulation, and if some temporal relationships between 5-ML and melatonin release could be observed, two groups of ewes were selected with respect to their endogenous melatonin secretion: in the first experiment, ten ewes from the low melatonin group (low group) and ten ewes from the high melatonin group (high group). 5-ML was measured every hour during a 24-hr period by radioimmunoassay. In all ewes, 5-ML was released during day-time, the rhythm of 5-ML concentrations being inversely related with the melatonin rhythm. Both day-time and night-time 5-ML concentrations were higher in the ewes from the high group than in the ewes from the low group (14.7 +/- 1.0 pg/mL plasma versus 6.4 +/- 0.3 pg/mL plasma during the day, 3.1 +/- 0.2 pg/mL plasma versus 1.9 +/- 0.2 pg/mL plasma during the night). The 5-ML/melatonin ratio appeared much higher during the day than during the night but was very similar in both groups (day-time: 1.03 in the high group versus 1.16 in the low group, night-time: 0.01 in both groups). In a second experiment, six low group and seven high group ewes were submitted to 1 hr of extra light at night. 5-ML increased and melatonin decreased during extra light. Our results clearly show for the first time a daily variation in circulating 5-ML, and that the strong genetic contribution in the variability in melatonin concentrations in sheep are clearly correlated with a similar variability in 5-ML concentrations. Whether 5-ML, like melatonin, plays a physiological role in the different adaptation processes to the environment remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Vivien-Roels
- Neurobiologie des Fonctions Rythmiques et Saisonnières, CNRS UMR 7518 and ULP, Strasbourg, France.
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Zawilska JB, Skene DJ, Nowak JZ. 5-Methoxytryptophol rhythms in the chick pineal gland: effect of environmental lighting conditions. Neurosci Lett 1998; 251:33-6. [PMID: 9714458 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3940(98)00481-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
5-Methoxytryptophol (5-ML) rhythms were studied in the pineal glands of chicks which were adapted to three different lighting conditions: 12 h light: 12 h dark (LD), constant darkness (DD) and continuous light (LL). Pineal glands of chicks kept under LD conditions exhibited rhythmic fluctuations in 5-ML content. 5-ML levels were low (18+/-2 pg/pineal) during the dark phase of the cycle, they increased approximately 9-fold at the end of the dark phase, and remained high (176 +/-6 pg/pineal) throughout the light period. This pattern of 5-ML content also persisted under conditions of DD, indicating that the 5-ML rhythm is circadian in nature. This is the first evidence of circadian rhythmicity of 5-ML. Pineal 5-ML levels in chicks kept under LL were high (168+/-8 pg/pineal), but did not fluctuate in a rhythmic fashion. Under LD and DD, but not LL, the rhythm of 5-ML in the chick pineal is 180 degrees out of phase with the rhythm of melatonin biosynthesis, an observation suggesting that, at least in this species, the pineal production of these two hormones may be inversely correlated.
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Affiliation(s)
- J B Zawilska
- Department of Biogenic Amines, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lódź
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