Pévet Paul
Laboratoire de Neurobiologie des Rythmes, UMR 7518 CNRS-Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France.
Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2002 Mar;4(1):57-72. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2002.4.1/ppevet.
Melatonin (MEL) is a hormone synthesized and secreted by the pineal gland deep within the brain in response to photoperiodic cues relayed from the retina via an endogenous circadian oscillator within the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus. The circadian rhythm of melatonin production and release, characterized by nocturnal activity and daytime quiescence, is an important temporal signal to the body structures that can read it. Melatonin acts through high-affinity receptors located centrally and in numerous peripheral organs. Different receptor subtypes have been cloned and characterized: MT(1) and MT(2) (transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptors), and MT(3). However, their physiological role remains unelucidated, although livestock management applications already include the control of seasonal breeding and milk production. As for potential therapeutic applications, exogenous melatonin or a melatonin agonist and selective 5-hydroxytrypiamine receptor (5-HT(2c)) antagonist, eg, S 20098, can be used to manipulate circadian processes such as the sleep-vake cycle, which are frequently disrupted in many conditions, most notably seasonal affective disorder.
褪黑素（MEL）是一种由大脑深处的松果体合成并分泌的激素，它是对通过下丘脑视交叉上核内的内源性昼夜节律振荡器从视网膜传递来的光周期信号作出的反应。褪黑素产生和释放的昼夜节律，其特点是夜间活跃、白天静止，是一种对能够读取它的身体结构来说很重要的时间信号。褪黑素通过位于中枢和众多外周器官的高亲和力受体发挥作用。不同的受体亚型已被克隆和鉴定：MT(1)和MT(2)（跨膜G蛋白偶联受体）以及MT(3)。然而，尽管畜牧管理应用中已经包括对季节性繁殖和产奶的控制，但其生理作用仍未阐明。至于潜在的治疗应用，外源性褪黑素或褪黑素激动剂以及选择性5-羟色胺受体（5-HT(2c)）拮抗剂，例如S 20098，可用于调节昼夜节律过程，如睡眠-觉醒周期，这些过程在许多情况下经常被打乱，最显著的是季节性情感障碍。
