TY - JOUR
T1 - Distribution of melatonin in mammalian tissues
T2 - The relative importance of nuclear versus cytosolic localization
AU - Menendez‐Pelaez, Armando
AU - Reiter, Russel J.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2016 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1993/9
Y1 - 1993/9
N2 - Abstract: Besides its presence in the pineal gland, melatonin has been found in a variety of other tissues as well. The indoleamine also has been identified in invertebrates including an unicellular organism where it exhibits a diurnal rhythm. Although melatonin is mainly known for its effects on seasonal reproduction and endocrine physiology, there is evidence showing that this ubiquitously acting hormone is also a potent free radical scavenger, thereby providing protection from oxidative attack to DNA and other biomolecules. Through the years, melatonin was thought to be exclusively cytosolic. However, careful examination of some of these pioneering reports revealed a nuclear localization of melatonin in different tissues including the retina and Harderian glands. Using a very sensitive immunocytochemical method, we have also found that melatonin is located in the nucleus of many cells where it may bind to nuclear components. The use of cell fractionation studies followed by radioimmunoassay confirmed these results. The administration of exogenous melatonin resulted in a marked increase in the nuclear melatonin content without a concomitant change in the cytosolic fraction. In addition to its ability to scavenge free radicals, its location in the nucleus suggests possible genomic actions.
AB - Abstract: Besides its presence in the pineal gland, melatonin has been found in a variety of other tissues as well. The indoleamine also has been identified in invertebrates including an unicellular organism where it exhibits a diurnal rhythm. Although melatonin is mainly known for its effects on seasonal reproduction and endocrine physiology, there is evidence showing that this ubiquitously acting hormone is also a potent free radical scavenger, thereby providing protection from oxidative attack to DNA and other biomolecules. Through the years, melatonin was thought to be exclusively cytosolic. However, careful examination of some of these pioneering reports revealed a nuclear localization of melatonin in different tissues including the retina and Harderian glands. Using a very sensitive immunocytochemical method, we have also found that melatonin is located in the nucleus of many cells where it may bind to nuclear components. The use of cell fractionation studies followed by radioimmunoassay confirmed these results. The administration of exogenous melatonin resulted in a marked increase in the nuclear melatonin content without a concomitant change in the cytosolic fraction. In addition to its ability to scavenge free radicals, its location in the nucleus suggests possible genomic actions.
KW - cell fractionation
KW - melatonin‐immunocytochemistry
KW - nuclear localization
KW - tissue distribution
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1600-079X.1993.tb00511.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1600-079X.1993.tb00511.x
M3 - Review article
C2 - 8283386
AN - SCOPUS:0027725205
VL - 15
SP - 59
EP - 69
JO - Journal of Pineal Research
JF - Journal of Pineal Research
SN - 0742-3098
IS - 2
ER -