Skip to main content
PMC home page
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1972 Aug;69(8):2003–2005. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.8.2003

Control of the Rat Pineal Gland by Light Spectra

Daniel P Cardinali 1, Frances Larin 1, Richard J Wurtman 1
PMCID: PMC426855  PMID: 4506068

Abstract

Control of pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase (S-adenosylmethionine:N-acetylserotonin-O-methyl transferase; EC 2.1.1.4) by light spectra was determined by placing groups of rats previously housed in continuous darkness under one of seven light sources for 96 hr; rats were exposed to the same intensity of irradiation. Activity of the enzyme was lowest in rats maintained under green light (λ peak = 530 nm); blue and yellow light were somewhat less effective; red and ultraviolet light did not significantly lower the enzyme activity. The suppression of pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase by full-spectrum light sources could be correlated with the proportions of their spectral outputs in the blue-green-yellow range. These observations suggest that the retinal photopigment that mediates pineal responses to light in rats is rhodopsin or another compound with similar absorption properties.

Keywords: melatonin, hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase

Full text

PDF
2003

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. AXELROD J., WEISSBACH H. Purification and properties of hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase. J Biol Chem. 1961 Jan;236:211–213. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. AXELROD J., WURTMAN R. J., SNYDER S. H. CONTROL OF HYDROXYINDOLE O-METHYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY IN THE RAT PINEAL GLAND BY ENVIRONMENTAL LIGHTING. J Biol Chem. 1965 Feb;240:949–954. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BROWN P. K., WALD G. VISUAL PIGMENTS IN SINGLE RODS AND CONES OF THE HUMAN RETINA. DIRECT MEASUREMENTS REVEAL MECHANISMS OF HUMAN NIGHT AND COLOR VISION. Science. 1964 Apr 3;144(3614):45–52. doi: 10.1126/science.144.3614.45. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. CONE R. A. QUANTUM RELATIONS OF THE RAT ELECTRORETINOGRAM. J Gen Physiol. 1963 Jul;46:1267–1286. doi: 10.1085/jgp.46.6.1267. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cardinali D. P., Rosner J. M. Retinal localization of the hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase (HIOMT) in the rat. Endocrinology. 1971 Jul;89(1):301–303. doi: 10.1210/endo-89-1-301. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Klein D. C., Weller J. L. Indole metabolism in the pineal gland: a circadian rhythm in N-acetyltransferase. Science. 1970 Sep 11;169(3950):1093–1095. doi: 10.1126/science.169.3950.1093. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ralph C. L., Mull D., Lynch H. J., Hedlund L. A melatonin rhythm persists in rat pineals in darkness. Endocrinology. 1971 Dec;89(6):1361–1366. doi: 10.1210/endo-89-6-1361. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. WALD G., BROWN P. K. Synthesis and bleaching of rhodopsin. Nature. 1956 Jan 28;177(4500):174–176. doi: 10.1038/177174a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. WURTMAN R. J., AXELROD J., PHILLIPS L. S. MELATONIN SYNTHESIS IN THE PINEAL GLAND: CONTROL BY LIGHT. Science. 1963 Nov 22;142(3595):1071–1073. doi: 10.1126/science.142.3595.1071. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Wurtman R. J., Anton-Tay F. The mammalian pineal as a neuroendocrine transducer. Recent Prog Horm Res. 1969;25:493–522. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-571125-8.50014-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Wurtman R. J., Weisel J. Environmental lighting and neuroendocrine function: relationship between spectrum of light source and gonadal growth. Endocrinology. 1969 Dec;85(6):1218–1221. doi: 10.1210/endo-85-6-1218. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES