Impaired hypothalamic regulation of reproductive function when exposed to neurotoxic compounds and melatonin

Diurnal rhythms of the contents of biogenic amines in the hypothalamus are considered to play an important role in regulation of many functions such as motor activity, feeding behaviour, sleep-awake cycle formation as well as hormonal and immune statuses. Mechanisms of regulation of reproduction that participate in a circadian signal transmission from the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus to hypothalamic structures responsible for gonadoliberin (GnRH) synthesis and secretion (the preoptic area - PA, and the medial eminence - ME) are at present being intensively studied. It has been shown that the aging caused disturbances of estrous cycles in female rats are accompanied by a disappearance of diurnal rhythms of activity of monoaminergic and opioid hypothalamic systems playing a key role in regulation of GnRH synthesis and secretion.

The experiments carried out have revealed diurnal rhythms of the contents of the studied biogenic amines in the PA, ME and SCN of the hypothalamus. The rhythms are due to the amines increasing in the morning hours when compared to their evening and night levels. The neurotoxic compounds used disturbed the rhythms of the amines. Chronic inhalation of toluene caused a disappearance of the dynamics of all the studied neurotransmitters that was typical of the control group. Meanwhile, a single administration of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine resulted in either a complete disappearance of the diurnal rhythms of the biogenic amines contents found in control, or their phase shifts. Severe disturbances of the GnRH content and of the ROS diurnal dynamics were also observed in the studied hypothalamic areas.

The literature allowed supposition that melatonin possessing entraining and antioxidant properties can be used as a protector of disturbances of central mechanisms of regulation of reproduction. However, our experiments have shown that exogenous melatonin does not only eliminate the neurotoxic compounds caused disturbances of diurnal rhythms of the studied indices, but it itself causes deep changes in their dynamics. The effect of melatonin has been found to result in a significant decrease of the catecholamines contents in all the studied hypothalamic structures, particularly of the norepinephrine content, that is accompanied by a profound decrease of the GnRH content and by a disturbance of the diurnal dynamics of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the PA and ME. The effect of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine on the studied indices was less pronounced when compared to that of melatonin, whereas an injection of the xenobiotic on the background of the pineal gland hormone administration resulted in a predominant effect of the latter.

Both the data obtained and the literature review allow to offer a hypothesis for a possible mechanism of involvement of diurnal rhythms of biogenic amines in central regulation of reproduction. It is known that synthesis and secretion of endogenous opioid peptides in the mediobasal hypothalamus undergo diurnal oscillations with minimum in the morning and maximum in the evening and/or at night. The revealed diurnal rhythms of the biogenic amines contents had opposite oscillations. This fact allows a supposition that these rhythms are due to the opioid system activity changing. Both decreased endogenous opioids contents and simultaneously increased morning biogenic amines levels in proestrus can create a neurotransmitter background that is necessary for GnRH surge formation.

An evaluation of diurnal rhythms of the biogenic amines contents, GnRH and ROS in the studied hypothalamic structures can be used for an assessment of disturbances of central mechanisms of regulation of reproduction that are caused by other neurotoxic compounds or developed in some diseases and in aging when the functional activity of the pineal gland is altered. The data obtained testify to possible negative side effects of melatonin on hypothalamic regulation of reproduction in therapeutic use of the hormone. The effects of melatonin realized via its receptors are known to highly depend on amplitude of its nocturnal surge and on duration of its increased blood level during a day. Therefore administration of melatonin on the background of its normal synthesis can lead to a number of negative effects due to its increased blood level when compared to its physiological level. Elucidation of the exogenous melatonin caused disturbance of the studied diurnal rhythms of central regulation of reproduction is of great practical use in development of prophylactics helping to eliminate or decrease an effect of damaging factors in unfavourable environmental conditions.