Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letters to Editor
  • Published:

Arginine Vasotocin Release into Cerebrospinal Fluid of Cats induced by Melatonin

Nature New Biology volume 246, pages 183–184 (1973)Cite this article

Abstract

THE mammalian pineal gland contains the characteristic indole melatonin1 and the specific octapeptide arginine vasotocin (AVT)2–4. Both melatonin5 and AVT6 are synthesised in the pineal; melatonin7, 8 and AVT9–11 inhibit gonadotrophins and ACTH and both melatonin12, 13 and AVT (Pavel et al., in preparation) induce the release of MSH and prolactin in the mouse. Melatonin14and AVT9, 10 seem to exert their endocrine effects by acting on the brain. This parallelism strongly indicates a relationship between the two compounds. Since in all the above endocrine effects9–11 AVT is about one million times more potent than melatonin and 3H-melatonin injected intravenously in cats is taken up maximally by the pineal15. I investigated the possibility that melatonin is involved in AVT release from the pineal.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Lerner, A. B., Case, J. D., and Heinzelman, R. V., J. Am. chem, Soc., 81, 6084 (1959).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Pavel, S., Endocrinology, 77, 812 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Pavel, S., and Petrescu, S., Nature, 212, 1054 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cheesman, D. W., Biochim. biophys. Acta, 207, 247 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Weissbach, H., Redfield, B. G., and Axelrod, J., Biochim. biophys. Acta, 43, 352 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Pavel, S., Dorcescu, M., Petrescu-Holban, R., and Ghinea, E., Science, N.Y., 181, 1252 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Vaughan, M. K., Benson, B., Norris, J. T., and Vaughan, G. M., J. Endocr., 50, 171 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Vaughan, M. K., Vaughan, G. M., Reiter, R. J., and Benson, B., Neuroendocrinology, 10, 139 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Pavel, S., Petrescu, M., and Vicoleanu, N., Neuroendocrinology, 11, 370 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Pavel, S., Mátrescu, L., and Petrescu, M., Neuroendocrinology (in the press).

  11. Pavel, S., Dumitru, I., Klepsh, I., and Dorcescu, M., Neuroendocrinology (in the press).

  12. Kastin, A. J., and Schally, A. V., Nature, 213, 1238 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kamben, I. A., Mical, R. S., and Porter, J. C., Endocrinology, 88, 1288 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Anton-Tay, F., in The Pineal Gland (edit, by Wolstenholme, G. E. W., and Knight, J.), 213 (Churchill, Livingstone, London, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Wurtman, R. J., Axelrod, J., and Potter, L. T., J. Pharmac. exp. Ther., 143, 314 (1964).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Pavel, S., and Coculescu, M., Endocrinology, 91, 825 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sawyer, W. H., Pharmac. Rev., 13, 225 (1961).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Martini, L., Fraschini, F., and Motta, M., Rec. Progr. Horm. Res., 24, 439 (1968).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Kopin, I. J., Pare, C. M. B., Axelrod, J., and Weissbach, H., J. biol. Chem., 236, 3072 (1961).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Wurtman, R. J., and Anton-Tay, F., Rec. Progr. Horm. Res., 25, 493 (1969).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Endocrinology, Bucharest

    S. PAVEL

Authors
  1. S. PAVEL
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

PAVEL, S. Arginine Vasotocin Release into Cerebrospinal Fluid of Cats induced by Melatonin. Nature New Biology 246, 183–184 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio246183a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio246183a0

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing