Biomaterial Database

Seasonal rhythm of the plasma level of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone. 1986

P Altmeyer, and L Stöhr, and H Holzmann

The present results indicate the presence of a seasonal rhythm of immunoreactive alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) in 20- to 40-year-old subjects of skin type I (light color of skin and eyes, red hair, no tanning after sun exposure) and skin type II (light color of skin, eyes, and hair, rare tanning) with raised levels of alpha-MSH in summer and low levels in winter. With increasing age of the investigated subjects, the seasonal rhythm seems to be lost. In subjects with skin type III (light skin, brown eyes and black hair, strong pigmentation after sun exposure) alpha-MSH shows only insignificant variations over the whole year. A seasonal rhythm of ACTH could not be demonstrated. A diurnal rhythm could be seen for ACTH, but not for alpha-MSH. To summarize, one can suppose that the seasonal rhythm of alpha-MSH is controlled by a varying UV exposure of the integument which is different over the whole year.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009074	Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones	Peptides with the ability to stimulate pigmented cells MELANOCYTES in mammals and MELANOPHORES in lower vertebrates. By stimulating the synthesis and distribution of MELANIN in these pigmented cells, they increase coloration of skin and other tissue. MSHs, derived from pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), are produced by MELANOTROPHS in the INTERMEDIATE LOBE OF PITUITARY; CORTICOTROPHS in the ANTERIOR LOBE OF PITUITARY, and the hypothalamic neurons in the ARCUATE NUCLEUS OF HYPOTHALAMUS.	MSH,Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone,Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone,Melanophore Stimulating Hormone,Melanotropin,MSH (Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones),Melanophore-Stimulating Hormone,Hormone, Melanocyte Stimulating,Hormone, Melanocyte-Stimulating,Hormone, Melanophore Stimulating,Melanocyte Stimulating Hormones,Stimulating Hormone, Melanocyte,Stimulating Hormone, Melanophore
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000324	Adrenocorticotropic Hormone	An anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the ADRENAL CORTEX and its production of CORTICOSTEROIDS. ACTH is a 39-amino acid polypeptide of which the N-terminal 24-amino acid segment is identical in all species and contains the adrenocorticotrophic activity. Upon further tissue-specific processing, ACTH can yield ALPHA-MSH and corticotrophin-like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP).	ACTH,Adrenocorticotropin,Corticotropin,1-39 ACTH,ACTH (1-39),Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone,Corticotrophin,Corticotrophin (1-39),Corticotropin (1-39),Hormone, Adrenocorticotrophic,Hormone, Adrenocorticotropic
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000367	Age Factors	Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time.	Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly