Biochemical indexes of the skin and blood melatonin concentration in rats during acute stress and treatment with exogenous melatonin.

We studied the effect of acute stress on serum melatonin concentration, content of major components in the connective tissue (uronic acids, hexosamines, and hydroxyproline), and beta-galactosidase activity in the skin of rats with different activity in the open-field test receiving intraperitoneal injections of physiological saline or melatonin. Acute stress intensified catabolism of carbohydrate components and affected characteristics of the main skin biopolymers. The content of uronic acids in connective tissue carbohydrates decreased. Collagen structures of the skin underwent less pronounced changes. The observed changes were similar in behaviorally active and passive animals. Administration of melatonin increased the contents of uronic acids and hexosamines in the skin. Pretreatment with melatonin prevented the decrease in the content of glycosaminoglycans in rat skin during acute stress.