| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
,
MACHELLE M. SEIBEL,
HARRY J. LYNCH,
MEI-HUA DENG and
RICHARD J. WURTMAN
Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Regulation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth-Israel Hospital Boston, Massachusetts 02215
Address requests for reprints to: Dr. A. Brzezinski, E25-604 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.
Melatonin, the major hormone of the pineal gland, has antigonadotrophic activity in many mammals and may also be involved in human reproduction. Melatonin suppresses steroidogenesis by ovarian granulosa and luteal cells in vitro. To determine if melatonin is present in the human ovary, preovulatory follicular fluids (n = 32) from 15 women were assayed for melatonin by RIA after solvent extraction. The fluids were obtained by laparoscopy or sonographically controlled follicular puncture from infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. All patients had received clomiphene citrate, human menopausal gonadotropin, and hCG to stimulate follicle formation. Blood samples were obtained by venipuncture 30 min or less after follicular aspiration. All of the follicular fluids contained melatonin, in concentrations [36.5 ± 4.8 (±SEM) pg/mL] substantially higher than those in the corresponding serum (10.0 ±1.4 pg/mL). A positive correlation was found between follicular fluid and serum melatonin levels in each woman (r = 0.770; P < 0.001). These observations indicate that preovulatory follicles contain substantial amounts of melatonin that may affect ovarian steroidogenesis.
* This work was supported by a grant (NAG2-210) from NASA.
Fellow of the Fogarty International Center, NIH on leave from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Received September 2, 1986.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  A. Banerjee, K J Meenakumari, S Udin, and A Krishna Melatonin regulates delayed embryonic development in the short-nosed fruit bat, Cynopterus sphinx Reproduction, December 1, 2009; 138(6): 935 - 944. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. J. Reiter, D.-X. Tan, L. C. Manchester, S. D. Paredes, J. C. Mayo, and R. M. Sainz Melatonin and Reproduction Revisited Biol Reprod, September 1, 2009; 81(3): 445 - 456. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Fujinoki Melatonin-enhanced hyperactivation of hamster sperm Reproduction, November 1, 2008; 136(5): 533 - 541. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. J. Jimenez-Caliani, S. Jimenez-Jorge, P. Molinero, J. M. Fernandez-Santos, I. Martin-Lacave, A. Rubio, J. M. Guerrero, and C. Osuna Sex-Dependent Effect of Melatonin on Systemic Erythematosus Lupus Developed in Mrl/Mpj-Faslpr Mice: It Ameliorates the Disease Course in Females, whereas It Exacerbates It in Males Endocrinology, April 1, 2006; 147(4): 1717 - 1724. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. J. Reiter, D.-x. Tan, J. Leon, U. Kilic, and E. Kilic When Melatonin Gets on Your Nerves: Its Beneficial Actions in Experimental Models of Stroke Experimental Biology and Medicine, February 1, 2005; 230(2): 104 - 117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. M. Soares Jr., M. I. Masana, C. Ersahin, and M. L. Dubocovich Functional Melatonin Receptors in Rat Ovaries at Various Stages of the Estrous Cycle J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., August 1, 2003; 306(2): 694 - 702. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Vijayalaxmi, C. R. Thomas Jr, R. J. Reiter, and T. S. Herman Melatonin: From Basic Research to Cancer Treatment Clinics J. Clin. Oncol., May 15, 2002; 20(10): 2575 - 2601. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. M. M. Woo, C.-J. Tai, S. K. Kang, P. S. Nathwani, S. F. Pang, and P. C. K. Leung Direct Action of Melatonin in Human Granulosa-Luteal Cells J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2001; 86(10): 4789 - 4797. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. T. Itoh, B. Ishizuka, Y. Kuribayashi, A. Amemiya, and Y. Sumi Melatonin, its precursors, and synthesizing enzyme activities in the human ovary Mol. Hum. Reprod., May 1, 1999; 5(5): 402 - 408. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Brzezinski Melatonin in Humans N. Engl. J. Med., January 16, 1997; 336(3): 186 - 195. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Leibenluft, P. L. Fiero, and D. R. Rubinow Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Dependent Variables in Mood Disorder Research Arch Gen Psychiatry, October 1, 1994; 51(10): 761 - 781. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Endocrinology | Endocrine Reviews | J. Clin. End. & Metab. |
| Molecular Endocrinology | Recent Prog. Horm. Res. | All Endocrine Journals |
