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Immunohistochemical Localization of Gonadotropin and Gonadal Steroid Receptors in Human Pineal Glands¹

Departments of Endocrinology (R.L.) and Cytopathology (M.D., D.G.), Central Emek Hospital, Afula, The L. Grinberg Institute of Forensic Medicine, Tel-Aviv (Y.H.), and the B. Rappaport Faculty of Medicine (P.H., P.L.), Technion, Haifa, Israel

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. R. Luboshitzky, Endocrine Institute, Central Emek Hospital, Afula 18101, Israel.

Recently, we demonstrated that melatonin secretion was increased in male patients with GnRH deficiency and decreased to normal levels during testosterone treatment. These data suggested that gonadal steroids modulate melatonin secretion, probably by activating specific receptors in the pineal gland. We used immunohistochemistry to localize gonadotropin (LH and FSH) and gonadal steroid (androgens and estrogens) receptors in human pineal glands. Tissues were obtained at autopsy from 25 males, aged 19–87 yr, and five prepubertal children, aged 0.2–10 yr. Positive staining for all four types of receptors (LH, FSH, androgen, and estrogen) in the pineal parenchymal cells, pinealocytes, was evident in all 30 glands examined. Double staining revealed that nuclear receptors (androgen or estrogen) coexisted with cytoplasmatic receptors (LH or FSH) in the same cells. The results demonstrate the presence of gonadotropin and gonadal steroid receptors in human pinealocytes from infancy to old age.

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				P. Lavie Melatonin: Role in Gating Nocturnal Rise in Sleep Propensity J Biol Rhythms, December 1, 1997; 12(6): 657 - 665. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. Luboshitzky Immunohistochemical Localization of Gonadotropin and Gonadal Steroid Receptors in Human Pineal Glands--Author's Responsee J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 1997; 82(8): 2757 - 2757. [Full Text]