Circadian Regulation of Pineal Gland Rhythmicity

Overview

Journal Mol Cell Endocrinol

Specialties Cell Biology
Endocrinology
Molecular Biology

Date 2011 Jul 26

PMID 21782887

Citations 44

Authors

Jimo Borjigin

L Samantha Zhang

Anda-Alexandra Calinescu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The pineal gland is a neuroendocrine organ of the brain. Its main task is to synthesize and secrete melatonin, a nocturnal hormone with diverse physiological functions. This review will focus on the central and pineal mechanisms in generation of mammalian pineal rhythmicity including melatonin production. In particular, this review covers the following topics: (1) local control of serotonin and melatonin rhythms; (2) neurotransmitters involved in central control of melatonin; (3) plasticity of the neural circuit controlling melatonin production; (4) role of clock genes in melatonin formation; (5) phase control of pineal rhythmicity; (6) impact of light at night on pineal rhythms; and (7) physiological function of the pineal rhythmicity.

Citing Articles

Allergic Conditions and Their Impact on Pediatric Sleep: A Narrative Review.

Aljaid M J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2025; 16(Suppl 5):S4205-S4209.

PMID: 40061783 PMC: 11888734. DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_1264_24.

Melatonin: A potential nighttime guardian against Alzheimer's.

Zhang Z, Xue P, Bendlin B, Zetterberg H, De Felice F, Tan X Mol Psychiatry. 2024; 30(1):237-250.

PMID: 39128995 PMC: 11649572. DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02691-6.

Targeting the blood-brain barrier to delay aging-accompanied neurological diseases by modulating gut microbiota, circadian rhythms, and their interplays.

Wang Y, Du W, Hu X, Yu X, Guo C, Jin X Acta Pharm Sin B. 2023; 13(12):4667-4687.

PMID: 38045038 PMC: 10692395. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.08.009.

Role of Melatonin in the Onset of Metabolic Syndrome in Women.

Peneva V, Terzieva D, Mitkov M Biomedicines. 2023; 11(6).

PMID: 37371675 PMC: 10295968. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061580.

Impacts of vitamin A deficiency on biological rhythms: Insights from the literature.

Guo X, Wang H, Xu J, Hua H Front Nutr. 2022; 9:886244.

PMID: 36466383 PMC: 9718491. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.886244.

References

Bartsch C, Bartsch H . The anti-tumor activity of pineal melatonin and cancer enhancing life styles in industrialized societies. Cancer Causes Control. 2006; 17(4):559-71. DOI: 10.1007/s10552-005-9011-8. View

Christ E, Pfeffer M, Korf H, von Gall C . Pineal melatonin synthesis is altered in Period1 deficient mice. Neuroscience. 2010; 171(2):398-406. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.09.009. View

Liu R, Zhou J, van Heerikhuize J, Hofman M, Swaab D . Decreased melatonin levels in postmortem cerebrospinal fluid in relation to aging, Alzheimer's disease, and apolipoprotein E-epsilon4/4 genotype. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999; 84(1):323-7. DOI: 10.1210/jcem.84.1.5394. View

Vuillez P, Jacob N, VAN ROSSUM A, Vivien-Roels B, Pevet P . Effect of NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 on light-induced Fos expression in the suprachiasmatic nuclei and on melatonin production in the Syrian hamster. J Neuroendocrinol. 1998; 10(9):671-7. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2826.1998.00248.x. View

Malpaux B, Migaud M, Tricoire H, Chemineau P . Biology of mammalian photoperiodism and the critical role of the pineal gland and melatonin. J Biol Rhythms. 2001; 16(4):336-47. DOI: 10.1177/074873001129002051. View

van der Horst G, Muijtjens M, Kobayashi K, Takano R, Kanno S, Takao M . Mammalian Cry1 and Cry2 are essential for maintenance of circadian rhythms. Nature. 1999; 398(6728):627-30. DOI: 10.1038/19323. View

Perreau-Lenz S, Kalsbeek A, Pevet P, Buijs R . Glutamatergic clock output stimulates melatonin synthesis at night. Eur J Neurosci. 2004; 19(2):318-24. DOI: 10.1111/j.0953-816x.2003.03132.x. View

McArthur A, Gillette M, Prosser R . Melatonin directly resets the rat suprachiasmatic circadian clock in vitro. Brain Res. 1991; 565(1):158-61. DOI: 10.1016/0006-8993(91)91748-p. View

Zigmond R, Baldwin C, Bowers C . Rapid recovery of pineal function after partial denervation: a possible role for heteroneuronal uptake of transmitter in modulating synaptic efficacy. J Neurosci. 1985; 5(1):142-50. PMC: 6565089. View

10.

Welsh D, Takahashi J, Kay S . Suprachiasmatic nucleus: cell autonomy and network properties. Annu Rev Physiol. 2010; 72:551-77. PMC: 3758475. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-021909-135919. View

11.

Oxenkrug G . Antioxidant effects of N-acetylserotonin: possible mechanisms and clinical implications. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2005; 1053:334-47. DOI: 10.1196/annals.1344.029. View

12.

Kannan H, Hayashida Y, Yamashita H . Increase in sympathetic outflow by paraventricular nucleus stimulation in awake rats. Am J Physiol. 1989; 256(6 Pt 2):R1325-30. DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.1989.256.6.R1325. View

13.

Ter Horst G, Postema F, Wortel J, Buijs R . Anatomical demonstration of the suprachiasmatic nucleus-pineal pathway. J Comp Neurol. 1999; 406(2):171-82. View

14.

Klein D, Weller J . Indole metabolism in the pineal gland: a circadian rhythm in N-acetyltransferase. Science. 1970; 169(3950):1093-5. DOI: 10.1126/science.169.3950.1093. View

15.

Pandi-Perumal S, Zisapel N, Srinivasan V, Cardinali D . Melatonin and sleep in aging population. Exp Gerontol. 2005; 40(12):911-25. DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2005.08.009. View

16.

Ebling F . The role of glutamate in the photic regulation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Prog Neurobiol. 1996; 50(2-3):109-32. DOI: 10.1016/s0301-0082(96)00032-9. View

17.

Liu T, Borjigin J . N-acetyltransferase is not the rate-limiting enzyme of melatonin synthesis at night. J Pineal Res. 2005; 39(1):91-6. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-079X.2005.00223.x. View

18.

Guler A, Ecker J, Lall G, Haq S, Altimus C, Liao H . Melanopsin cells are the principal conduits for rod-cone input to non-image-forming vision. Nature. 2008; 453(7191):102-5. PMC: 2871301. DOI: 10.1038/nature06829. View

19.

Liu T, Borjigin J . Relationship between nocturnal serotonin surge and melatonin onset in rodent pineal gland. J Circadian Rhythms. 2006; 4:12. PMC: 1592123. DOI: 10.1186/1740-3391-4-12. View

20.

Hannibal J . Neurotransmitters of the retino-hypothalamic tract. Cell Tissue Res. 2002; 309(1):73-88. DOI: 10.1007/s00441-002-0574-3. View