Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1995-2-21
pubmed:abstractText
The aim of this study was to determine whether the iodomelatonin-binding sites identified within the preoptic area (POA) or mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) are essential for the photoperiodic control of seasonal reproduction in male Syrian hamsters. Animals received sham or bilateral electrolytic lesions directed toward either the POA (POA-X; n = 11) or MBH (MBH-X; n = 12) and were then maintained on long days (16 h of light and 8 h of darkness) for at least 4 weeks before transfer to a short photoperiod (SD; 8 h of light and 16 h of darkness). The transscrotal width of the left testis and serum testosterone (Exp 1), PRL, and LH (Exp 2) levels were recorded every 4 weeks in lesioned and intact hamsters to monitor their reproductive state. Lesions of the MBH, but not the POA, abolished the SD-induced gonadal responses (transscrotal width of the left testis after 12 weeks of SD: MBH-X, 10.0 +/- 0.2 mm; sham, 4.6 +/- 0.1 mm; POA-X, 4.0 +/- 0.1 mm; sham, 4.1 +/- 0.1 mm). Similarly, the decrease in serum LH concentrations was prevented by lesions of the MBH (serum LH after 12 weeks SD: MBH-X, 0.74 +/- 0.2 ng/ml; sham, 0.25 +/- 0.1 ng/ml). However, neither lesion prevented the SD-induced decline in serum PRL (serum PRL after 12 weeks SD: MBH-X, 4.7 +/- 1.0 ng/ml; sham, 3.1 +/- 0.1 ng/ml; POA-X, 2.0 +/- 0.1 ng/ml; sham, 2.0 +/- 0.1 ng/ml). To exclude the possibility that the lesion to the MBH prevented gonadal regression through disruption of nocturnal melatonin production, MBH-X animals were switched to a long day photoperiod, pinealectomized, and fitted with a sc cannula for the infusion of either melatonin (500 ng/10 h) or saline (50 microliters/h) once daily for 6 weeks. A group of neurally intact, pinealectomized control animals that received the same infusions showed the expected gonadal regression with melatonin treatment, whereas those receiving saline vehicle had large testes (melatonin, 0.5 +/- 0.1 g; saline, 3.3 +/- 0.3 g. Furthermore, after 6 weeks of infusions, serum LH and PRL concentrations in intact melatonin-infused hamsters were significantly reduced (LH: melatonin, 0.2 +/- 0.04 ng/ml; saline, 1.3 +/- 0.1 ng/ml; PRL: melatonin, 2.2 +/- 0.2 ng/ml; saline, 16.9 +/- 3.1 ng/ml). In contrast to the intact controls, none of the MBH-X animals infused with melatonin exhibited gonadal regression (MBH-X: melatonin, 2.8 +/- 0.5 g; saline, 2.9 +/- 0.5 g).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0013-7227
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
136
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
144-53
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-9-29
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1995
pubmed:articleTitle
Lesions of the iodomelatonin-binding sites of the mediobasal hypothalamus spare the lactotropic, but block the gonadotropic response of male Syrian hamsters to short photoperiod and to melatonin.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't