布氏田鼠适应性产热过程中血清甲状腺激素的变化

早春季节对布氏田鼠（Microtusbrandti）施以不同光照和温度处理,其血清甲状腺素（T4）含量没有明显变化;低温明显地升高了三碘甲腺原氨酸（T3）的含量和T3／T4的比率。短光照只在低温环境中能升高T3／T4的比率。秋节温暖环境中的短光照或褪黑激素（Melatonin,MLT）处理,都能升高血清T3的浓度和增加T3／T4的比率。表明甲状腺激素在布氏田鼠短光照和低温的适应性产热中起着重要的调控作用,褪黑激素诱导布氏田鼠产热与甲状腺激素有密切的联系。     

HPLC法测定黄芩叶、花、种子中褪黑激素的含量

应用高效液相色谱荧光检测系统测定了昼夜两个时间点黄芩鲜叶中褪黑激素的浓度 差别,同时也检测了花、种子中褪黑激素的含量。结果表明,夜间和白天采集的新鲜叶片昼夜含量不同,分别为1.6503 ng/g和0.5163 ng/g。在花和种子中也检测到褪黑激素。尽管目前对褪黑激素在植物中的作用尚不完全清楚,但是有关植物中褪黑激素含量的研究将对营养、医药和农业等提供有益的信息。     

HPLC法测定黄芩叶、花、种子中褪黑激素的含量

应用高效液相色谱—荧光检测系统测定了昼夜两个时间点黄芩鲜叶中褪黑激素的浓度差别,同时也检测了花、种子中褪黑激素的含量。结果表明,夜间和白天采集的新鲜叶片昼夜含量不同,分别为1.6503ng/g和0.5163ng/g。在花和种子中也检测到褪黑激素。尽管目前对褪黑激素在植物中的作用尚不完全清楚,但是有关植物中褪黑激素含量的研究将对营养、医药和农业等提供有益的信息。     

高原鼠兔季节性繁殖中的神经内分泌调控Ⅰ.在性休止期不同光制的影响

本文研究了处于性休止期的雄性高原鼠兔在不同光周期饲养后体重和性腺重量的变化,同时 对其血浆睾酮水平和松果腺褪黑激素含量的变化进行分析：１）无论在长日照、自然光照、或是短 日照条件,高原鼠兔的体重无明显差异（Ｐ＞０. ０５）;２）长日照组鼠兔的睾丸、附睾、输精管和精 囊腺远重于自然光照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）和短日照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）;３）长日照组鼠兔血浆睾酮的含量 明显高于自然光照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）和短日照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）;４）长日照组鼠兔松果腺褪黑激素含 量远低于自然光照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）和短日照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）。结果表明：高原鼠兔是长日照动物。     

高原鼠兔松果腺褪黑激素含量昼夜节律的研究

自然光照条件下,高原鼠兔（Ｏｃｈｏｔｏｎａｃｕｒｚｏｎｉａｅ）松果腺褪黑激素（Ｍｅｌａｔｏｎｉｎ,ＭＬＴ）含量呈现明显的昼夜节律（Ｐ＜０．００１,夜间组含量均值与白天组含量均值差异显著性比较）。在２月份的实验中,对１８只鼠兔（体重１２２—１６４克）松果腺的采样时间分别为０２．００,０９．００,１２．００,１８．００,２２．００和２４．００时。白天ＭＬＴ含量波动为５６—６４微微克／松果腺,夜间波动为１１３—１７０微微克／松果腺。夜间ＭＬＴ含量高峰值出现在２４．００时。在１０月份的实验中,对６０只鼠兔（体重１０２—１５３克）松果腺的采样时间分别为０３．００,０６．００,０９．００,１２．００,１５．００,１８．００,２１．００和２４．００时。白天ＭＬＴ含量波动为７７—１１９微微克／松果腺,夜间波动为１３９—５０５微微克／松果腺。夜间ＭＬＴ含量高峰值出现在０３．００时。将２月份和１０月份高原鼠兔松果腺ＭＬＴ含量进行差异显著性比较,１０月组显著高于２月组（Ｐ＜０．０５）。结果表明,该动物的松果腺本身对光周期具有敏感性,它能够感知环境光周期的变化,成功地完成神经内分泌的转换。     

黄鳝松果腺复合体的超显微结构研究

鱼类松果腺能将其感受到的光信息以及脑部神经信号转换成激素分泌,研究表明,褪黑激素是松果腺影响生物性腺发育的主要分泌物［１,２］。因此推测松果腺及其分泌物褪黑激素可能参与调节黄鳝的性转变进程。作者曾利用外源褪黑激素注射鱼体的实验结果表明,褪黑激素对黄鳝的性腺发育存在着剂量依存的促进与抑制的双重调节作用［３］。本文首次证实黄鳝脑中松果腺复合体（ＰｉｎｅａｌＣｏｍｐｌｅｘ）的存在,并对其超显微结构进行了研究。１材料与方法１．１实验动物　黄鳝（Ｍｏｎｏｐｔｅｒｕｓ　ａｌｂｕｓ　Ｚｕｉｅｗ）：体长２８－４…     

高原鼠兔季节性繁殖中的神经内分泌调控：Ⅰ.在性休止期不同光制的…

本文研究了处于性休止期的雄性高原鼠兔在不同光周期饲养后体重和性腺重量的变化,同时对其血浆睾酮水平和松果腺褪黑激素含量的变化进行分析：１）无论在长日照、自然光照、或是短日照条件,高原鼠兔的体重无明显差异（Ｐ＞０．０５）;２）长日照组鼠兔的睾丸,附睾,输精管和精囊腺远重于自然光照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）和短日照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）;３）长日照组鼠兔血浆睾酮的含量明显高于自然光照组（Ｐ＞０．００１）和短日照     

褪黑激素对布氏田鼠适应性产热的诱导作用

秋季,将布氏田鼠置于２３±２℃,光周期１４Ｌ∶１０Ｄ的环境中,每日腋下注射褪黑激素,共四周。导致布氏田鼠的非颤抖性产热被激活,褐色脂肪组织和肝的总蛋白及线粒体蛋白含量明显地增加;肝线粒体状态４和状态３呼吸活力显著增加;刺激肝和褐色脂肪组织线粒体细胞色素Ｃ氧化酶活力升高;明显地升高血清Ｔ３浓度和增加Ｔ３／Ｔ４比率。表明在秋季褪黑激素能明显提高布氏田鼠的产热能力。短光照对布氏田鼠产热的调控可能是通过松果体分泌的褪黑激素而实现的。     

高原鼠兔季节性繁殖中的神经内分泌调控Ⅱ．不同光制对生殖恢复期的影响

本项研究将野外捕获的成年雄性高原鼠兔（Ｏｃｈｏｔｏｎａｃｕｒｚｏｎｉａｅ）分３组进行不同光制的饲养,以检验光周期对其神经内分泌─—生殖轴功能的影响：（１）长光照组睾丸及附属性腺的重量和血浆睾酮水平均明显高于自然光组（ｐ＜０．０５）和短光照组（ｐ＜０．０１）。（２）长光照组的松果腺重量（１．５±０．１毫克,ｎ＝１５）和褪黑激素含量（８９．７±５．８微微克／松果腺）,均显著低于其它两组。（３）自然光组和短光照组性腺的显著萌发表明,在高原鼠兔季节性繁殖的年周期中,其神经内分泌─—生殖轴对春分前短光照的抑制作用具有不应期。     

动物季节性繁殖分子调控机理研究进展

动物季节性发情繁殖涉及下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴系统复杂的神经内分泌过程,并受光照周期等环境因素的影响。褪黑激素则作为光周期信号分子调控动物季节性繁殖活动。近年来研究发现,对GnRH分泌有重要影响的Kiss1/GPR54系统既受褪黑激素的调控又受到性腺类固醇激素反馈调节,Kiss1/GPR54系统很可能是调控动物季节性繁殖的关键因子;同时动物季节性繁殖很可能还存在一条涉及TSH-DIO2/DIO3系统的逆向调控通路,该系统同样显著影响GnRH合成释放并受褪黑激素调控。文章就褪黑激素中心信号,特别是Kiss1/GPR54和TSH-DIO2/DIO3系统对繁殖季节性调控的最新研究进展进行综述。     

Measurements of light at night (LAN) for a sample of female school teachers

Epidemiological studies have shown an association between rotating shiftwork and breast cancer (BC) risk. Recently, light at night (LAN) measured by satellite photometry and by self-reports of bedroom brightness has been shown to be associated with BC risk, irrespective of shiftwork history. Importance has been placed on these associations because retinal light exposures at night can suppress the hormone melatonin and/or disrupt circadian entrainment to the local 24-h light-dark cycle. The present study examined whether it was valid to use satellite photometry and self-reports of brightness to characterize light, as it might stimulate the circadian system and thereby affect BC incidence. Calibrated photometric measurements were made at the bedroom windows and in the bedrooms of a sample of female school teachers, who worked regular dayshifts and lived in a variety of satellite-measured sky brightness categories. The light levels at both locations were usually very low and were independent of the amount of satellite-measured light. Calibrated photometric measurements were also obtained at the corneas of these female school teachers together with calibrated accelerometer measurements for seven consecutive days and evenings. Based upon these personal light exposure and activity measurements, the female teachers who participated in this study did not have disrupted light-dark cycles like those associated with rotating shiftworkers who do exhibit a higher risk for BC. Rather, this sample of female school teachers had 24-h light-dark and activity-rest patterns very much like those experienced by dayshift nurses examined in an earlier study who are not at an elevated risk of BC. No relationship was found between the amount of satellite-measured light levels and the 24-h light-dark patterns these women experienced. It was concluded from the present study that satellite photometry is unrelated to personal light exposures as they might affect melatonin suppression and/or circadian disruption. More generally, photometric devices calibrated in terms of the operational characteristics of the human circadian system must be used to meaningfully link LAN and BC incidence.     

Entrainment of Circadian Programs

Circadian rhythms were recently proposed as a measure of physiological state and prognosis in disorders of consciousness (DOC). So far, melatonin regulation was never assessed in vegetative state (VS). Aim of our research was to investigate the nocturnal melatonin levels and light-induced melatonin suppression in a cohort of VS patients. We assessed six consecutive patients (four men, age 33.3?±?9.3 years) with post-traumatic VS and nine age-matched healthy volunteers (five men, age 34.3?±?8.9 years) on two consecutive nights: one baseline and one light exposure night. During baseline, night subjects were in bed in a dim (<5?lux) room from 10?pm to 8?am. Blood samples were collected hourly 00:30–3:30?am (00:30?=?MLT1; 1:30?=?MLT2; 2:30?=?MLT3; and 3:30?=?MLT4). Identical setting was used for melatonin suppression test night, except for the exposure to monochromatic (470?nm) light from 1:30 to 3:30?am. Plasma melatonin levels were evaluated by radioimmunoassay. Magnitude of melatonin suppression was assessed by melatonin suppression score (caMSS) and suppression rate. We searched for group differences in melatonin levels, differences between repeated samples melatonin concentrations during baseline night and light exposure night, and light-induced suppression of melatonin secretion. During baseline night, controls showed an increase of melatonin (MLT4 vs MLT1, p?=?0.037), while no significant changes were observed in VS melatonin levels (p?=?0.172). Baseline night MLT4 was significantly lower in VS vs controls (p?=?0.036). During light-exposure night, controls displayed a significant suppression of melatonin (MLT3 and MLT4 vs MLT2, p?=?0.016 and 0.002, respectively), while VS patients displayed no significant changes. The magnitude of light-induced suppression of melatonin levels was statistically different between groups considering control adjusted caMSS (p?=?0.000), suppression rate (p?=?0.002) and absolute percentage difference (p?=?0.012). These results demonstrate for the first time that VS patients present an alteration in night melatonin secretion and reduced light-induced melatonin suppression. These findings confirm previous studies demonstrating a disruption of the circadian system in DOC and suggest a possible benefit from melatonin supplementation in VS.     

Measurements of Light at Night (LAN) for a Sample of Female School Teachers

Epidemiological studies have shown an association between rotating shiftwork and breast cancer (BC) risk. Recently, light at night (LAN) measured by satellite photometry and by self-reports of bedroom brightness has been shown to be associated with BC risk, irrespective of shiftwork history. Importance has been placed on these associations because retinal light exposures at night can suppress the hormone melatonin and/or disrupt circadian entrainment to the local 24-h light-dark cycle. The present study examined whether it was valid to use satellite photometry and self-reports of brightness to characterize light, as it might stimulate the circadian system and thereby affect BC incidence. Calibrated photometric measurements were made at the bedroom windows and in the bedrooms of a sample of female school teachers, who worked regular dayshifts and lived in a variety of satellite-measured sky brightness categories. The light levels at both locations were usually very low and were independent of the amount of satellite-measured light. Calibrated photometric measurements were also obtained at the corneas of these female school teachers together with calibrated accelerometer measurements for seven consecutive days and evenings. Based upon these personal light exposure and activity measurements, the female teachers who participated in this study did not have disrupted light-dark cycles like those associated with rotating shiftworkers who do exhibit a higher risk for BC. Rather, this sample of female school teachers had 24-h light-dark and activity-rest patterns very much like those experienced by dayshift nurses examined in an earlier study who are not at an elevated risk of BC. No relationship was found between the amount of satellite-measured light levels and the 24-h light-dark patterns these women experienced. It was concluded from the present study that satellite photometry is unrelated to personal light exposures as they might affect melatonin suppression and/or circadian disruption. More generally, photometric devices calibrated in terms of the operational characteristics of the human circadian system must be used to meaningfully link LAN and BC incidence. (Authors correspondence: E-mail: ream@rpi.edu)     

Melatonin suppression during a simulated night shift in medium intensity light is increased by 10-minute breaks in dim light and decreased by 10-minute breaks in bright light

ABSTRACT

Exposure to light at night results in disruption of endogenous circadian rhythmicity and/or suppression of pineal melatonin, which can consequently lead to acute or chronic adverse health problems. In the present study, we investigated whether exposure to very dim light or very bright light for a short duration influences melatonin suppression, subjective sleepiness, and performance during exposure to constant moderately bright light. Twenty-four healthy male university students were divided into two experimental groups: Half of them (mean age: 20.0 ± 0.9 years) participated in an experiment for short-duration (10 min) light conditions of medium intensity light (430 lx, medium breaks) vs. very dim light (< 1 lx, dim breaks) and the other half (mean age: 21.3 ± 2.5 years) participated in an experiment for short-duration light conditions of medium intensity light (430 lx, medium breaks) vs. very bright light (4700 lx, bright breaks). Each simulated night shift consisting of 5 sets (each including 50-minute night work and 10-minute break) was performed from 01:00 to 06:00 h. The subjects were exposed to medium intensity light (550 lx) during the night work. Each 10-minute break was conducted every hour from 02:00 to 06:00 h. Salivary melatonin concentrations were measured, subjective sleepiness was assessed, the psychomotor vigilance task was performed at hourly intervals from 21:00 h until the end of the experiment. Compared to melatonin suppression between 04:00 and 06:00 h in the condition of medium breaks, the condition of dim breaks significantly promoted melatonin suppression and the condition of bright breaks significantly diminished melatonin suppression. However, there was no remarkable effect of either dim breaks or bright breaks on subjective sleepiness and performance of the psychomotor vigilance task. Our findings suggest that periodic exposure to light for short durations during exposure to a constant light environment affects the sensitivity of pineal melatonin to constant light depending on the difference between light intensities in the two light conditions (i.e., short light exposure vs. constant light exposure). Also, our findings indicate that exposure to light of various intensities at night could be a factor influencing the light-induced melatonin suppression in real night work settings.     

Effectiveness of a red-visor cap for preventing light-induced melatonin suppression during simulated night work

Bright light at night improves the alertness of night workers. Melatonin suppression induced by light at night is, however, reported to be a possible risk factor for breast cancer. Short-wavelength light has a strong impact on melatonin suppression. A red-visor cap can cut the short-wavelength light from the upper visual field selectively with no adverse effects on visibility. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a red-visor cap on light-induced melatonin suppression, performance, and sleepiness at night. Eleven healthy young male adults (mean age: 21.2±0.9 yr) volunteered to participate in this study. On the first day, the subjects spent time in dim light (<15 lx) from 20:00 to 03:00 to measure baseline data of nocturnal salivary melatonin concentration. On the second day, the subjects were exposed to light for four hours from 23:00 to 03:00 with a nonvisor cap (500 lx), red-visor cap (approx. 160 lx) and blue-visor cap (approx. 160 lx). Subjective sleepiness and performance of a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) were also measured on the second day. Compared to salivary melatonin concentration under dim light, the decrease in melatonin concentration was significant in a nonvisor cap condition but was not significant in a red-visor cap condition. The percentages of melatonin suppression in the nonvisor cap and red-visor cap conditions at 4 hours after exposure to light were 52.6±22.4% and 7.7±3.3%, respectively. The red-visor cap had no adverse effect on performance of the PVT, brightness and visual comfort, though it tended to increase subjective sleepiness. These results suggest that a red-visor cap is effective in preventing melatonin suppression with no adverse effects on vigilance performance, brightness and visibility.     

Sensitivity of the human circadian system to short-wavelength (420-nm) light

The circadian and neurobehavioral effects of light are primarily mediated by a retinal ganglion cell photoreceptor in the mammalian eye containing the photopigment melanopsin. Nine action spectrum studies using rodents, monkeys, and humans for these responses indicate peak sensitivities in the blue region of the visible spectrum ranging from 459 to 484 nm, with some disagreement in short-wavelength sensitivity of the spectrum. The aim of this work was to quantify the sensitivity of human volunteers to monochromatic 420-nm light for plasma melatonin suppression. Adult female (n=14) and male (n=12) subjects participated in 2 studies, each employing a within-subjects design. In a fluence-response study, subjects (n=8) were tested with 8 light irradiances at 420 nm ranging over a 4-log unit photon density range of 10(10) to 10(14) photons/cm(2)/sec and 1 dark exposure control night. In the other study, subjects (n=18) completed an experiment comparing melatonin suppression with equal photon doses (1.21 x 10(13) photons/cm(2)/sec) of 420 nm and 460 nm monochromatic light and a dark exposure control night. The first study demonstrated a clear fluence-response relationship between 420-nm light and melatonin suppression (p<0.001) with a half-saturation constant of 2.74 x 10(11) photons/cm(2)/sec. The second study showed that 460-nm light is significantly stronger than 420-nm light for suppressing melatonin (p<0.04). Together, the results clarify the visible short-wavelength sensitivity of the human melatonin suppression action spectrum. This basic physiological finding may be useful for optimizing lighting for therapeutic and other applications.     

Quantal melatonin suppression by exposure to low intensity light in man

Plasma melatonin concentrations were examined following three relatively low intensities of artificial light. Six normal, healthy control subjects were all exposed to (a) 200 lux, (b) 400 lux and (c) 600 lux for a three hour duration from midnight to 0300 h. Blood was also collected on a control night where light intensity was less than 10 lux throughout. Significant suppression of melatonin was observed following light of 400 lux and 600 lux intensity when compared to the control night (p less than 0.05; Mann-Whitney U-test). 200 lux light did not produce a statistically significant melatonin suppression when compared with control samples. Each light intensity produced its own individual maximal melatonin suppression by one hour of exposure. Increased duration of exposure to the light had no further influence on melatonin plasma concentrations. These data confirm a dose response relationship between light and melatonin suppression, and indicate that there is no reciprocal relationship between the effects of light intensity and the duration of exposure on maximal melatonin suppression in man.     

Potential biological consequences of excessive light exposure: melatonin suppression,DNA damage,cancer and neurodegenerative diseases

This brief review summarizes some of the biological effects of light exposure at an inappropriate time (during the normal dark period) and the potential negative physiological consequences of this light exposure. Two major systems are significantly influenced by light at night. Thus, the circadian system and melatonin synthesis are altered when light is extended into the normal dark period or when the dark period is interrupted by light. This summary reviews the potential sequelae of chronic inappropriate light exposure and the suppression of endogenous melatonin levels. Given that melatonin is a free radical scavenger and antioxidant, conditions that involve free radical damage may be aggravated by light suppression of melatonin levels. The conditions of particular interest for this review are excessive DNA damage (which potentially leads to cancer), cellular destruction in neurodegenerative diseases and aging itself. Further research should be conducted to more accurately define the potential negative impact of light at abnormal times on animal and human pathophysiology.     

Melatonin: a possible link between the presence of artificial light at night and reductions in biological fitness

The mechanisms underpinning the ecological impacts of the presence of artificial night lighting remain elusive. One suspected underlying cause is that the presence of light at night (LAN) supresses nocturnal production of melatonin, a key driver of biological rhythm and a potent antioxidant with a proposed role in immune function. Here, we briefly review the evidence for melatonin as the link between LAN and changes in behaviour and physiology. We then present preliminary data supporting the potential for melatonin to act as a recovery agent mitigating the negative effects of LAN in an invertebrate. Adult crickets (Teleogryllus commodus), exposed to constant illumination, were provided with dietary melatonin (concentrations: 0, 10 or 100 µg ml⁻¹) in their drinking water. We then compared survival, lifetime fecundity and, over a 4-week period, immune function (haemocyte concentration, lysozyme-like and phenoloxidase (PO) activity). Melatonin supplementation was able only partially to mitigate the detrimental effects of LAN: it did not improve survival or fecundity or PO activity, but it had a largely dose-dependent positive effect on haemocyte concentration and lysozyme-like activity. We discuss the implications of these relationships, as well as the usefulness of invertebrates as model species for future studies that explore the effects of LAN.     

Light Exposure at Night Disrupts Host/Cancer Circadian Regulatory Dynamics: Impact on the Warburg Effect,Lipid Signaling and Tumor Growth Prevention

The central circadian clock within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) plays an important role in temporally organizing and coordinating many of the processes governing cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth in synchrony with the daily light/dark cycle which may contribute to endogenous cancer prevention. Bioenergetic substrates and molecular intermediates required for building tumor biomass each day are derived from both aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) and lipid metabolism. Using tissue-isolated human breast cancer xenografts grown in nude rats, we determined that circulating systemic factors in the host and the Warburg effect, linoleic acid uptake/metabolism and growth signaling activities in the tumor are dynamically regulated, coordinated and integrated within circadian time structure over a 24-hour light/dark cycle by SCN-driven nocturnal pineal production of the anticancer hormone melatonin. Dim light at night (LAN)-induced melatonin suppression disrupts this circadian-regulated host/cancer balance among several important cancer preventative signaling mechanisms, leading to hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia in the host and runaway aerobic glycolysis, lipid signaling and proliferative activity in the tumor.