[Age-related characteristics of the melatonin-producing epiphyseal function in CBA mice immunized by T-dependent antigen].

It was investigated both melatonin blood level in the adult and old CBA-mice after immunization by sheep erythrocytes and the link between thymus and adrenal glands function in the old immunizated mice with high melatonin content in the pineal gland. It has been revealed that in the adult mice blood melatonin level was influenced by the phase changes in dynamic of immunization, namely raised significantly in 20 min with following suppression after 3 hrs and rehabilitation up to normal in 4 days. In the old mice fluctuations of melatonin level were impaired and characterized by gradually decrease in dynamics of immunization. The increase of melatonin content in pineal gland by administration of epithalamine improved the dynamics of fluctuations of thymic hormone and corticosterone level in the immunizated old mice.