Seasonal Variation of Gonadotropins and Gonadal Steroids Receptors in the Human Pineal Gland

Luboshitzky, Rafael; Dharan, Muralee; Goldman, Dalia; Herer, Paula; Hiss, Yehuda; Lavie, Peretz

doi:10.1016/s0361-9230(97)00106-8

Cited by 23 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Thus, it could be surmised that the pineal regulates FSH production and/or secretion (Little and Benson, 1978a) and in turn the altered gonadotrophin levels may influence the pineal activity (Smith et al, 1975). The published data demonstrates nocturnal increase in FSH receptors in human pineal glands when the melatonin secretion rate is maximum (Luboshitzky et al, 1997b). This result could be interpreted as that of pineal stimulation by increased gonadotrophins and reduced sex steroids which corroborates with the present findings of pineal gland hyperactivity, induced by hemicastration in postpuberal male mice.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Hemicastration induced stimulation of pineal and adrenocortical karyomorphology and cell proliferation can be reversed by steroid hormone and antihormone modulations in mice (Mus musculus)

et al. 2010

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Hemicastration has often been used to investigate the effect of in vivo modulation of gonadotrophin and steroids on peripheral endocrine organs. In the present study the effect of hemicastration was studied on pinealadrenal karyomorphology and percentage of cell proliferation activity and it was further examined whether such relationship was influenced through administration of steroid hormone and antihormones. In the present study the post pubertal male mice were hemicastrated and after thirty days of post hemicastration, the mice groups were administrated separately with steroid hormones estradiol at a dose of 5 µg/100 g b.w., testosterone of a dose of 100 µg/100 g b.w. and antihormones, tamoxifen at a dose of 500 µg/100 g b.w. and flutamide 2 mg/100 g b.w. daily for ten consecutive days. Our data revealed that both the pineal and adrenal gland nuclear size and cell proliferation were significantly increased in thirty days post hemicastrated male mice. It was further observed that the steroid hormones, estradiol and testosterone and antihormones administered for ten consecutive days significantly reversed the pineal adrenal hyperactivity and hyperplasia induced by hemicastration. Taken together our current experiments showed that both the pineal and adrenal glands stimulated following hemicastration can K O LK ATA RESEARCH ARTICLEadversely respond to input of steroid hormones and antihormones showing reversal of hemicastration induced stimulation in these post pubertal male mice.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Hemicastration induced stimulation of pineal and adrenocortical karyomorphology and cell proliferation can be reversed by steroid hormone and antihormone modulations in mice (Mus musculus)

et al. 2010

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“…This hypothesis is supported by the findings of LH and FSH receptors in human pinealocytes, with a significant day-night difference and higher immunostaining in the winter 30 .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion in hyperandrogenic women with polycystic ovary syndrome: the effect of ethinyl estradiol–cyproterone acetate treatment

Luboshitzky

Shen‐Orr

Herer

et al. 2003

Gynecological Endocrinology

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The role of melatonin in human reproduction is still unknown. Data obtained in patients with hypogonadism and precocious puberty suggest that melatonin and the reproductive hormones are interrelated. The aim of this study was to determine melatonin production in hyperandrogenic women. We studied 12 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and 10 women with idiopathic hirsutism (IH). Patients were treated with cyproterone acetate-ethinyl estradiol (Diane 35) for 4 months. Fasting blood samples for the determination of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and 24-h urine collections for the determination of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (alpha MT6s) excretion were obtained from all patients at baseline and after 4 months of treatment. The results were compared with those obtained in 15 control women. At baseline, women with PCOS had significantly higher LH and testosterone levels than those with IH and controls. Their alpha MT6s values (52.6 +/- 20.3 micrograms/24 h) were significantly higher than the values in women with IH (34.3 +/- 7.1) and controls (30.5 +/- 6.5) (p < 0.001). Diane 35 treatment significantly decreased LH, FSH, testosterone and alpha MT6a values in PCOS (28.0 +/- 13.9 micrograms/24 h) (p < 0.0001). These results indicate that women with PCOS have increased melatonin production. The normalization of alpha MT6s and testosterone values during Diane 35 treatment suggests that sex steroids modulate melatonin secretion in these patients either directly or through the suppression of gonadotropin.

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“…This was indicated by the demonstration of androgen and estrogen receptors in rat pinealocytes 36 and by the immunohistochemical localization of gonadotropin and gonadal steroid receptors in human pineal glands obtained at autopsy 37 . The percentage of positively stained cells by LH and FSH was 20-fold higher in humans who had died during the winter 38 . It is of note that these receptors are already present in the first 2-4 months of life when the HPG is similarly active and the pineal gland is already secreting melatonin.…”

Section: Gonadotropin and Gonadal Steroid Receptors In The Pineal Glandmentioning

confidence: 88%

Melatonin and Sex Hormone Interrelationships - A Review

Luboshitzky¹,

Lavie²

1999

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism

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Melatonin, the main hormone secreted by the pineal gland at night, plays a major role in regulating reproductive physiology in seasonal breeders and influences the age of sexual maturation in laboratory rodents. In humans these relationships are less clear. Evidence supporting a melatonin-reproductive hormone relationship relies on findings of abnormal melatonin secretion in disorders of the reproductive system and on pathologies of the pineal gland which are associated with clinical abnormalities of the reproductive hormones. Normal melatonin rhythms are closely related to those of the reproductive hormones during infancy and reciprocally correlated during puberty. The demonstration of melatonin receptors in the brain and in reproductive organs, together with the localization of sex hormone receptors in the pineal gland, further strengthen these relationships. However, it is not yet clear that these correlations are functionally related, as data on the antigonadal effects of exogenous melatonin on the reproductive hormones are not conclusively established.

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Seasonal Variation of Gonadotropins and Gonadal Steroids Receptors in the Human Pineal Gland

Cited by 23 publications

References 27 publications

Hemicastration induced stimulation of pineal and adrenocortical karyomorphology and cell proliferation can be reversed by steroid hormone and antihormone modulations in mice (Mus musculus)

Hemicastration induced stimulation of pineal and adrenocortical karyomorphology and cell proliferation can be reversed by steroid hormone and antihormone modulations in mice (Mus musculus)

Urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion in hyperandrogenic women with polycystic ovary syndrome: the effect of ethinyl estradiol–cyproterone acetate treatment

Melatonin and Sex Hormone Interrelationships - A Review

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