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Plasma melatonin, pinealocyte morphology, and surface receptors/antigen expression on macrophages/microglia in the pineal gland following a high-altitude exposure.

Abstract：

:The present study examined the effects of high-altitude exposure on the pineal gland, the main source of production of melatonin. It was surmised that hypoxia experienced at high altitude, caused by decreased oxygen tension in the ambient air, might lead to some structural alterations in the pineal gland and, hence, affect its melatonin production. Adult Wistar rats were exposed to an altitude of 8,000 m for 2 hr in an altitude chamber and then sacrificed at various time intervals after the exposure. Normal rats kept at ground level were used as controls. Blood samples were collected at various time intervals for measurement of plasma melatonin level, and the pineal glands from both groups were processed for electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The plasma melatonin level showed a steady increase following altitude exposure peaking at 7 days and returned to control levels thereafter. Between 1 and 4 days after altitude exposure, the mitochondrial number and lipid droplets in the pinealocytes appeared to be reduced compared with those in control rats. At 7 days, however, the mitochondrial numbers and lipid droplets were noticeably increased. At the same time interval, the expression of complement type 3 receptors and major histocompatibility class II antigens as detected with the antibodies OX-42 and OX-6, respectively, in macrophages/microglia was up-regulated compared with that in the control rats and those killed at earlier times. This was attributed to the increased serum melatonin after the altitude exposure. By 14 and 21 days, the ultrastructure of pinealocytes and immunoreactivity of macrophages/microglia were comparable with those in the control rats. We conclude from this study that an altitude exposure in rats leads to an increase in melatonin production, which returned to control levels with passage of time.

journal_name

J Neurosci Res

journal_title

Journal of neuroscience research

authors

Kaur C,Srinivasan KN,Singh J,Peng CM,Ling EA

doi

10.1002/jnr.10136

keywords:

subject

Has Abstract

pub_date

2002-02-15 00:00:00

pages

533-43

issue

eissn

0360-4012

issn

1097-4547

pii

10.1002/jnr.10136

journal_volume

pub_type

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Plasma melatonin, pinealocyte morphology, and surface receptors/antigen expression on macrophages/microglia in the pineal gland following a high-altitude exposure.