The FASEB Journal, Vol 11, 466-473, Copyright © 1997 by The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Expression of the Mel1a-melatonin receptor mRNA in T and B subsets of lymphocytes from rat thymus and spleen

D Pozo, M Delgado, JM Fernandez-Santos, JR Calvo, RP Gomariz, I Martin-Lacave, GG Ortiz and JM Guerrero
Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Seville School of Medicine, Spain.

In the present work we analyze by reverse transcription, polymerase chain reaction, cDNA cloning, and sequence analysis the expression of membrane melatonin receptors in rat thymus and spleen. Results show, for the first time, that the melatonin receptor mRNA is expressed in both the thymus and spleen. Moreover, the melatonin receptor mRNA was expressed in all the lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4+,CD8+, double positive, double negative, and B cells) studied from the rat thymus. The Southern blot analysis with the melatonin receptor probe and sequence data also showed the identity of the DNA fragments in thymus, spleen, and the lymphocyte subpopulations studied. The melatonin receptor fragments amplified from rat brain, thymus, and spleen share identical nucleotide sequences with the rat Mel1a-melatonin receptor subtype. No signal was obtained with primers used to amplify the rat Mel1b-melatonin receptor subtype in both thymus and spleen. Finally, the melatonin receptor mRNA transcript distribution throughout the rat thymus was examined. Using digoxigenin-labeled cRNA probe to the specific melatonin receptor mRNA, examination of the whole thymus revealed a clear hybridization signal in both cortex and medulla. Melatonin receptor gene expression in the thymus and spleen supports the notion of the immunomodulatory role of melatonin.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. G. Richter, C. Torres-Farfan, J. Garcia-Sesnich, L. Abarzua-Catalan, M. G. Henriquez, M. Alvarez-Felmer, F. Gaete, G. E. Rehren, and M. Seron-Ferre Rhythmic Expression of Functional MT1 Melatonin Receptors in the Rat Adrenal Gland Endocrinology, March 1, 2008; 149(3): 995 - 1003. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. M. Presman, E. Hoijman, N. R. Ceballos, M. D. Galigniana, and A. Pecci Melatonin Inhibits Glucocorticoid Receptor Nuclear Translocation in Mouse Thymocytes Endocrinology, November 1, 2006; 147(11): 5452 - 5459. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Lanoix, R. Ouellette, and C. Vaillancourt Expression of melatoninergic receptors in human placental choriocarcinoma cell lines Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2006; 21(8): 1981 - 1989. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Hoijman, L. Rocha Viegas, M. I. Keller Sarmiento, R. E. Rosenstein, and A. Pecci Involvement of Bax Protein in the Prevention of Glucocorticoid-Induced Thymocytes Apoptosis by Melatonin Endocrinology, January 1, 2004; 145(1): 418 - 425. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Prendergast, A. K. Hotchkiss, S. D. Bilbo, S. G. Kinsey, and R. J. Nelson Photoperiodic Adjustments in Immune Function Protect Siberian Hamsters from Lethal Endotoxemia J Biol Rhythms, February 1, 2003; 18(1): 51 - 62. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. CARLBERG Gene Regulation by Melatonin Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., January 1, 2000; 917(1): 387 - 396. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. GUERRERO, D. POZO, S. GARCIA-MAURINO, C. OSUNA, P. MOLINERO, and J. R. CALVO Involvement of Nuclear Receptors in the Enhanced IL-2 Production by Melatonin in Jurkat Cells Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., January 1, 2000; 917(1): 397 - 403. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. ASAINZ, J. C. MAYO, R. J. REITER, I. ANTOLÍN, M. M. ESTEBAN, and C. RODRÍGUEZ Melatonin regulates glucocorticoid receptor: an answer to its antiapoptotic action in thymus FASEB J, September 1, 1999; 13(12): 1547 - 1556. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. P. Romero, A. García-pergañeda, J. M. Guerrero, and C. Osuna Membrane-bound calmodulin in Xenopus laevis oocytes as a novel binding site for melatonin FASEB J, October 1, 1998; 12(13): 1401 - 1408. [Abstract] [Full Text]