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Endocrinology, Vol 110, 997-1003, Copyright © 1982 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Light exposure reduces and pinealectomy virtually stops urinary excretion of 6-hydroxymelatonin by rhesus monkeys

M Tetsuo, MJ Perlow, M Mishkin and SP Markey

The major metabolite of the pineal hormone melatonin, conjugated 6- hydroxymelatonin, was hydrolyzed, separated from the urine of rhesus monkeys, and assayed mass spectrometrically. The daily excretion pattern reflected pineal melatonin synthetic activity, being 5- to 16- fold higher at night than during the day. Progressive lengthening of the daily photoperiod beyond 12 h decreased the daily excretion of 6- hydroxymelatonin proportional to the increase duration of light exposure. Constant light reduced daily excretion by 90%, and pinealectomy reduced daily excretion by 96%. These results demonstrate the absence of significant extrapineal contributions to the urinary melatonin metabolite and confirm the use of 6-hydroxymelatonin excretion rates as a valid index of pineal gland melatonin synthesis.


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