Vermeulen M, Palermo M, Giordano M
Instituto de Investigaciones Hematolólogicas, Academia Nacional de Medicina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
J Neuroimmunol. 1993 Mar;43(1-2):97-101. doi: 10.1016/0165-5728(93)90079-e.
The pineal gland, through its principal hormone melatonin, is able to modulate different immune functions. We have previously demonstrated that exogenous melatonin induces a significant enhancement of murine antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). In order to determine whether the pineal gland plays a physiological role in ADCC regulation, we studied the influence of neonatal pinealectomy on this activity. The results presented here indicate that ablation of the pineal gland during the first week of life significantly reduces ADCC levels in adult mice. This impairment appears around 60 days of age, suggesting that sexual hormones may be involved in the pineal effect. Moreover, the administration of melatonin to pinealectomized mice restores ADCC levels regardless of the hour and seasonal time of injection. On the basis of the data reported here, a physiological regulation of ADCC by the pineal gland can be assumed.
松果体通过其主要激素褪黑素能够调节不同的免疫功能。我们之前已经证明，外源性褪黑素能显著增强小鼠的抗体依赖性细胞毒性（ADCC）。为了确定松果体在ADCC调节中是否发挥生理作用，我们研究了新生小鼠松果体切除对该活性的影响。此处呈现的结果表明，出生后第一周切除松果体显著降低成年小鼠的ADCC水平。这种损害在约60日龄时出现，提示性激素可能参与了松果体的作用。此外，给松果体切除的小鼠注射褪黑素可恢复ADCC水平，且与注射时间和季节无关。基于此处报告的数据，可以假定松果体对ADCC有生理调节作用。
