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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 554/3/841    most recent jphysiol.2003.056465v1 Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Torres-Farfan, C. Articles by Serón-Ferré, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Torres-Farfan, C. Articles by Serón-Ferré, M.

¹ Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas ² Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Facultad de Medicina, ⁴ Departamento de Endocrinología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Chile ³ Department of Women's Health, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Colton, CA 92324, USA

We tested the hypothesis that in primates, maternal melatonin restrains fetal and newborn adrenal cortisol production. A functional G-protein-coupled MT1 membrane-bound melatonin receptor was detected in 90% gestation capuchin monkey fetal adrenals by (a) 2-[¹²⁵I] iodomelatonin binding (K_d, 75.7 ± 6.9 pM; B_max, 2.6 ± 0.4 fmol (mg protein)^-1), (b) cDNA identification, and (c) melatonin inhibition of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)- and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH)-stimulated cortisol but not of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS) production in vitro. Melatonin also inhibited ACTH-induced 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase mRNA expression. To assess the physiological relevance of these findings, we next studied the effect of chronic maternal melatonin suppression (induced by exposure to constant light during the last third of gestation) on maternal plasma oestradiol during gestation and on plasma cortisol concentration in the 4- to 6-day-old newborn. Constant light suppressed maternal melatonin without affecting maternal plasma oestradiol concentration, consistent with no effect on fetal DHAS, the precursor of maternal oestradiol. However, newborns from mothers under constant light condition had twice as much plasma cortisol as newborns from mothers maintained under a normal light–dark schedule. Newborns from mothers exposed to chronic constant light and daily melatonin replacement had normal plasma cortisol concentration. Our results support a role of maternal melatonin in fetal and neonatal primate cortisol regulation.

(Received 7 October 2003; accepted after revision 9 December 2003; first published online 12 December 2003)
Corresponding author M. Serón-Ferré: Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Chile. Email: mseron{at}genes.bio.puc.cl

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