Abstract
Quantitative levels of melatonin and 5-hydroxytryptamine were measured over the scotophase in the protocerebrum, subesophageal ganglion, optic lobes, thoracic ganglia, and hemolymph of adult male cabbage looper moths, Trichoplusia ni, using HPLC with electrochemical detection. Melatonin levels were very low (s < 1 pmol) or undetectable during the photophase, but increased in all tissues during the dark. Lowest mean levels in the dark were observed in the optic lobes (0.3 to 0.7 pmols). Maximal mean levels in the protocerebrum (5.2 pmols) occurred in the early part of the scotophase, but in all other tissues (2.8 in the subesophageal ganglion; 9.5 in thoracic ganglia) and hemolymph (18 pg/μl) maximal mean levels were observed later in the dark. Levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine in each tissue, in contrast, were higher than melatonin levels in the photophase, and in the protocerebrum and thoracic ganglia decreased during the dark, but in the optic lobes and subesophageal ganglion remained unchanged. Further, decreases in 5-hydroxytryptamine during the dark were significantly lower than the increased levels of melatonin, suggesting that active synthesis of 5-hydroxytryptamine was occurring. In a second experiment, when measured from individuals in three different photoperiods (6∶18, 12∶12, 18∶6 light∶dark) maximum mean melatonin levels in the brain (protocerebral and subesophageal ganglia) peaked within the first 1.5 h of the dark and remained at measurable levels for the duration of the dark. In a third experiment, levels of melatonin in the brain and thoracic ganglia displayed rhythmicity in continuous dark conditions but not in continuous light, when compared with profiles obtained in a normal light ∶ dark regime.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- CNS:
-
Central nervous system
- HPLC-ECD:
-
high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection
- MEL:
-
melatonin
- 5HT:
-
5-hydroxytryptamine
- N-ac-SHT:
-
N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine
References
Anctil M, Pani AK, Ali MA (1991) Modulations of rhythmic contrations by melatonin via cyclic GMP in the coelenterate Renilla koellikeri. J Comp Physiol B. 161: 569–575
Balzer I, Hardeland R (1991) Photoperiodism and effects of indoleamines in a unicellular alga, Gonyaulax polyedra. Science 253: 795–797
Balzer I, Poeggeler B, Hardeland R (1990) 5-Methoxylated indoleamines in the dinoflagellate, Gonyaulax polyedra: Presence, sitmulation of bioluminescence and circadian variations in responsiveness. Eur J Cell Biol 51. Suppl 30: 52
Bartness TJ, Powers JB, Hastings MH, Bittman EL, Goldman BD (1993) The timed infusion paradigm for melatonin delivery: What has it taught us about the melatonin signal, its reception, and the photoperiodic control of seasonal responses? J Pineal Res 15: 161–190
Davenport A, Evans P (1984) Stress-induced changes in the octopamine levels of insect hemolymph. Insect Biochem 14: 135–143
Downer RGH, Martin RJ (1987) Analysis of monoamines and their metabolites by high performance liquid chromatography with coulimetric electrochemical detection. Life Sci 41: 833–836
Finocchiaro L, Callebert J, Launay JM, Jallon JM (1988) Melatonin biosynthesis in Drosophila: Its nature and its effects. J Neurochem 50: 382–387
Forsling ML, Stoughton RP, Zhou Y, Kelestimur H, Demaine C (1993) The role of the pineal in the control of the daily patterns of neurohypophysial hormone secretion. J Pineal Res 14: 45–51
Goldman BD, Nelson RJ (1993) Melatonin and seasonality in mammals. In: Yu HS, Reiten RJ (eds) Melatonin: biosynthesis, physiological effects, and clinical applications. CRC Press, Boca Raton, USA, 225–252
Hardeland R (1993) The presence of melatonin and structurally related indoleamines in a dinoflagellate, and a hypothesis on the evolutionary significance of these tryptophan metabolities in unicellulars. Experientia. 49: 614–619
Linn CE, Roelofs WL (1986) Modulatory effects of octopamine and serotonin on thresholds for male sensitivity and periodicity of response to sex pheromone in the cabbage looper moth. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 3: 161–171
Linn CE, Roelofs WL (1987) Effects of octopaminergic agents on the sex pheromone mediated behavior of adult Lepidoptera. In: Hollingworth RM, Green MB (eds) Sites of action for neurotoxic pesticides. ACS Symposium Series No. 365, American Chemical Society, pp 162–173
Linn CE, Campbell MG, Roelofs WL (1992) Photoperiod cues in regulating the modulatory action of octopamine on pheromoneresponse thresholds in the cabbage looper moth. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 20: 285–302
Linn CE, Campbell MG, Roelofs WL (1992) Photoperiod cues and the modulatory action of octopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine on locomotor and pheromone response in male gypsy moths, Lymantria dispar. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 20: 265–284
Linn CE, Poole KR, Roelofs WL (1994a) Studies on biogenic amines and metabolites in nervous tissue and hemolymph of male cabbage looper moths: I. Quantitation of photoperiod changes. Comp Biochem Physiol 108C: 73–85
Linn CE, Campbell MG, Poole KR, Roelofs WL (1994b) Studies on biogenic amines and metabolites in nervous tissue and hemolymph of male cabbage looper moths II. Photoperiod changes relative to random locomotor activity and pheromoneresponse thresholds. Comp Biochem Physiol 108C: 87–98
Linn CE, Poole KR, Roelofs WL (1994c) Studies on biogenic amines and metabolites in nervous tissue and hemolymph of male cabbage looper moths: III. Fate of injected octopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and dopamine. Comp Biochem Physiol 108C: 99–106
Martin RJ, Bailey BA, Downer RGH (1983) Rapid estimation of catecholamines, octopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine in biological tissues using high performance liquid chromatography with coulimetric detection. J Chromatog 278: 265–274
Morita M, Best JB (1984) Effects of photoperiods and melatonin on Planarian asexual reproduction. J Exp Zool 231: 273–282
Morita M, Best JB (1993) The occurrence and physiological functions of melatonin in the most primitive eumetazoans, the planarians. Experientia 49: 623–626
Morita M, Hall F, Best JB, Gern W (1987) Photoperiodic modulation of cephalic melatonin in planarians: J Exp Zool 241: 383–388
Owen MD, Pfaff L, Sloley BD (1987) The absence of diel change in the concentrations of dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and their metabolites in the cerebral ganglia of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana. Insect Biochem 17: 723–729
Page TL (1985) Clocks and circadian rhythms In: Kerkut GA, Gilbert LI (eds) Comprehensive insect physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology, vol. 6. Pergamon Press, New York, 577–652
Pittendrigh CS (1993) Temporal organization: Reflections of a Darwinian clock-watcher. Annu Rev Physiol 55: 17–54
Reiter RJ (1991) Pineal melatonin: Cell biology of its synthesis and its physiological interactions. Endocrine Rev 12: 151–180
Reiter RJ (1993) The melatonin rhythm: both a clock and a calendar. Experientia 49: 654–664
Saunders DS (1982) Insect clocks. Pergamon Press, New York
Shorey HH, Hale RH (1965) Mass-rearing of the larvae of nine noctuid species on a simple artificial medium. J Econ Entomol 58: 591
Steel RGD, Torrie JH (1960) Principles and procedures of statistics. McGraw-Hill, New York
Takeda M, Westrom W, Hamill A, Goldman B (1985) Neuropeptide and monoamine immunoreactivity of the circadian pacemaker in Periplaneta Biomed/Res 6: 395–406
Vivien-Roels B, Pevet P (1986) Is melatonin an evolutionary conservative molecule involved in the transduction of photoperiodic information in all living organisms? Adv Pineal Res 1: 61–68
Vivien-Roels B, Pevet P (1993) Melatonin: Presence and formation in invertebrates. Experientia 49: 642–647
Vivien-Roels B, Pevet P, Beck O, Fevre-Montange M (1984) Identification of melatonin in the compound eyes of an insect, the locust (Locusta migratoria), by radioimmunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Neurosci Lett 49: 153–157
Wetterberg L, Hayes DK, Halberg F (1987) Circadian rhythm of melatonin in the brain of the face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer. Chronobiologia 14: 377–381
Withyachumnarnkul B, Buppaninoj K, Pongsa-Awsawapaiboon A (1992) N-Acetyltransferase and melatonin levels in the optic lobes of the giant freshwater prawns, Macrobranchium rosenbergii de Man. Comp Biochem Physiol 102A: 703–707
Yu H-S, Reiter RJ (1993) Melatonin: biosynthesis, physiological effects, and clinical applications. CRC Press, Boca Raton, USA
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Linn, C.E., Poole, K.R., Roelofs, W.L. et al. Circadian changes in melatonin in the nervous system and hemolymph of the cabbage looper moth, Trichoplusia ni . J Comp Physiol A 176, 761–771 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192624
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192624