Control of the Rat Pineal Gland by Light Spectra | Zendy

Daniel P. Cardinali | Zendy; F. Larin | Zendy; Richard J. Wurtman | Zendy

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Control of the Rat Pineal Gland by Light Spectra

Author(s) -

Daniel P. Cardinali,

F. Larin,

Richard J. Wurtman

Publication year - 1972

Publication title -

proceedings of the national academy of sciences

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011

H-Index - 771

eISSN - 1091-6490

pISSN - 0027-8424

DOI - 10.1073/pnas.69.8.2003

Subject(s) - photopigment , darkness , endocrinology , pineal gland , rhodopsin , blue light , medicine , biology , ultraviolet light , enzyme , chemistry , transferase , retinal , biophysics , biochemistry , circadian rhythm , photochemistry , optics , botany , physics

Control of pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase (S-adenosylmethionine:N-acetylserotonin-O-methyl transferase; EC 2.1.1.4) by light spectra was determined by placing groups of rats previously housed in continuous darkness under one of seven light sources for 96 hr; rats were exposed to the same intensity of irradiation. Activity of the enzyme was lowest in rats maintained under green light (lambda peak = 530 nm); blue and yellow light were somewhat less effective; red and ultraviolet light did not significantly lower the enzyme activity. The suppression of pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase by full-spectrum light sources could be correlated with the proportions of their spectral outputs in the blue-green-yellow range. These observations suggest that the retinal photopigment that mediates pineal responses to light in rats is rhodopsin or another compound with similar absorption properties.

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