Emergence of the diurnal rhythm in plasma melatonin concentrations in newborn lambs delivered to intact or pinealectomized ewes
Abstract
We have monitored the 24-h profiles of plasma melatonin concentrations between birth and 10 weeks of age, in lambs which were delivered to, and suckled, either pineal-intact (control group) or pinealectomized (pinealectomized group) ewes. Between 0 and 2 weeks of age, plasma concentrations of melatonin in lambs suckling either intact or pinealectomized ewes were highest at 01.00 h. At this age, however, there was no significant difference in the mean plasma concentrations of melatonin between the entire dark and light phases in lambs in either the control group (dark, 39·7 ± 6·0 (s.e.m.) pmol/l; light, 39·5 ± 8·1 pmol/l) or the pinealectomized group (dark, 79·8 ± 43·3 pmol/l; light, 60·9 ±8·7 pmol/l). Between 3 and 4 weeks of age, however, a diurnal rhythm in plasma melatonin concentrations was clearly present in the lambs in both the control and pinealectomized groups (control group: dark, 164·1 ± 5·6 pmol/l; light 26·2 ± 2·5 pmol/l; pinealectomized group: dark, 52·7± 8·0 pmol/l; light, 19·1 ± 5·3 pmol/l; P<0·001). Between 3 and 10 weeks of age, plasma concentrations of melatonin in the dark phase were significantly (P<0·05) lower in the lambs suckling pinealectomized ewes than in the control group. In both the control lambs and lambs suckling pinealectomized ewes, the mean plasma concentrations of melatonin in the dark and light phases increased significantly (P<0·05) between 3 and 6 weeks after birth. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that a clear diurnal plasma rhythm in melatonin concentrations does not emerge until 3–4 weeks of age in lambs suckling either pinealectomized or intact ewes. We have also measured lower melatonin concentrations during the dark phase in lambs suckling pinealectomized ewes when compared with lambs suckling pineal-intact ewes between 3 and 10 weeks of age. Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 125, 97–102
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Perturbed maternal melatonin signaling is a proposed mechanism by which circadian disruption negatively impacts development.
“Previous studies have proposed that perturbed maternal melatonin signaling is a mechanism by which circadian disruption negatively impacts development15, 17, 20–25.”
From Maternal and Early-Life Circadian Disruption Have Long-Lasting Negative Consequences on Offspring Development and Adult Behavior in Mice (2017) · cites this paper as [21]
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“thesis starts postnatally in the rat (Deguchi, 1975), sheep (Nowak et al., 1990), and human (Kennaway et al.”
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“In lambs, a clear diurnal rhythm in melatonin concentrations in plasma does not emerge until 3 – 4 weeks of age (Nowak et al., 1990).”
- Authors
- Nowak, R., Young, I. R., & McMillen, I. C.
- Affiliations
- Monash University (AU)
- ORCID
- Nowak, R.
- Venue
- Journal of Endocrinology
- Publisher
- Bioscientifica
- Published
- 1990-04-01
- Volume
- 125
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 97-102
- ISSN
- 0022-0795 (ISSN-L)
- 1479-6805
- OpenAlex
- W2132681815
- Cited by
- 37
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Monash University
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Keywords
- melatonin, diurnal cycle, pinealectomy, newborn lambs, suckling, pineal gland, plasma melatonin, photoperiod, ewes
- MeSH terms
- Age Factors, Animals, Animals, Newborn, Animals, Suckling, Circadian Rhythm, Female, Melatonin, Pineal Gland, Pregnancy, Sheep
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