Biomaterial Database

Time-dependent effects of melatonin on immune measurements in male Syrian hamsters. 1998

T H Champney, and G C Allen, and M Zannelli, and L A Beausang

Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Neurobiology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station 77843-1114, USA. thchamp@tamu.edu

Adult, male Syrian hamsters received daily subcutaneous melatonin (25 microg) injections or vehicle injections at 08:00 or 17:00 hr for 11 weeks. Body weights were measured weekly throughout the experiment and testes weights, spleen weights, and serum was collected at the end of the experiment. The spleens were sectioned and immunocytochemically analyzed for immunoglobulin G and serum levels of interferon-gamma, interleukin-2, and interleukin-4 were determined in heterologous mouse assays. Melatonin injections at 17:00 hr, but not at 08:00 hr, increased body weights, decreased testes weights and serum testosterone levels, and had no effect on immunoglobulin G content in the spleen. Likewise, melatonin injections at 17:00 hr, but not at 08:00 hr, increased serum interferon-gamma levels, had no effect on interleukin-2 levels, and appeared to increase interleukin-4 levels. Since melatonin injections at 08:00 hr were ineffective in altering immune measurements and correlations between reproductive measures and immune measures were high, the most parsimonious explanation for these results is that melatonin injections at 17:00 hr depressed reproductive hormone levels and these depressed levels altered immune measures.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007074	Immunoglobulin G	The major immunoglobulin isotype class in normal human serum. There are several isotype subclasses of IgG, for example, IgG1, IgG2A, and IgG2B.	Gamma Globulin, 7S,IgG,IgG Antibody,Allerglobuline,IgG(T),IgG1,IgG2,IgG2A,IgG2B,IgG3,IgG4,Immunoglobulin GT,Polyglobin,7S Gamma Globulin,Antibody, IgG,GT, Immunoglobulin
D007107	Immune System	The body's defense mechanism against foreign organisms or substances and deviant native cells. It includes the humoral immune response and the cell-mediated response and consists of a complex of interrelated cellular, molecular, and genetic components.	Immune Systems,System, Immune,Systems, Immune
D007124	Immunoenzyme Techniques	Immunologic techniques based on the use of: (1) enzyme-antibody conjugates; (2) enzyme-antigen conjugates; (3) antienzyme antibody followed by its homologous enzyme; or (4) enzyme-antienzyme complexes. These are used histologically for visualizing or labeling tissue specimens.	Antibody Enzyme Technique, Unlabeled,Enzyme Immunoassay,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Technique,Immunoassay, Enzyme,Immunoperoxidase Techniques,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Technique,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Technique,Antibody Enzyme Technic, Unlabeled,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Technic,Immunoenzyme Technics,Immunoperoxidase Technics,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Technic,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Technic,Antibody Technic, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Technic, Peroxidase-Labeled,Antibody Technics, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Technics, Peroxidase-Labeled,Antibody Technique, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Technique, Peroxidase-Labeled,Antibody Techniques, Enzyme-Labeled,Antibody Techniques, Peroxidase-Labeled,Enzyme Immunoassays,Enzyme Labeled Antibody Technic,Enzyme Labeled Antibody Technique,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Technics,Enzyme-Labeled Antibody Techniques,Immunoassays, Enzyme,Immunoenzyme Technic,Immunoenzyme Technique,Immunoperoxidase Technic,Immunoperoxidase Technique,Peroxidase Antiperoxidase Complex Technic,Peroxidase Antiperoxidase Complex Technique,Peroxidase Labeled Antibody Technic,Peroxidase Labeled Antibody Technique,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Technics,Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex Techniques,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Technics,Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody Techniques,Technic, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Technic, Immunoenzyme,Technic, Immunoperoxidase,Technic, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Technic, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody,Technics, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Technics, Immunoenzyme,Technics, Immunoperoxidase,Technics, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Technics, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody,Technique, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Technique, Immunoenzyme,Technique, Immunoperoxidase,Technique, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Technique, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody,Techniques, Enzyme-Labeled Antibody,Techniques, Immunoenzyme,Techniques, Immunoperoxidase,Techniques, Peroxidase-Antiperoxidase Complex,Techniques, Peroxidase-Labeled Antibody
D007279	Injections, Subcutaneous	Forceful administration under the skin of liquid medication, nutrient, or other fluid through a hollow needle piercing the skin.	Subcutaneous Injections,Injection, Subcutaneous,Subcutaneous Injection
D008297	Male		Males
D008550	Melatonin	A biogenic amine that is found in animals and plants. In mammals, melatonin is produced by the PINEAL GLAND. Its secretion increases in darkness and decreases during exposure to light. Melatonin is implicated in the regulation of SLEEP, mood, and REPRODUCTION. Melatonin is also an effective antioxidant.
D008647	Mesocricetus	A genus in the order Rodentia and family Cricetidae. One species, Mesocricetus auratus or golden hamster is widely used in biomedical research.	Hamsters, Golden,Hamsters, Golden Syrian,Hamsters, Syrian,Mesocricetus auratus,Syrian Golden Hamster,Syrian Hamster,Golden Hamster,Golden Hamster, Syrian,Golden Hamsters,Golden Syrian Hamsters,Hamster, Golden,Hamster, Syrian,Hamster, Syrian Golden,Syrian Hamsters
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D006224	Cricetinae	A subfamily in the family MURIDAE, comprising the hamsters. Four of the more common genera are Cricetus, CRICETULUS; MESOCRICETUS; and PHODOPUS.	Cricetus,Hamsters,Hamster