Ontogeny of a diurnal rhythm in arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase mRNA in rat pineal gland.

Melatonin synthesis in the pineal gland of adult rats is linked to cAMP-dependent transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms affecting its rate-limiting enzyme, the arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT). During development of the pineal gland, neuronal control gains access to the earlier matured cAMP-signaling pathway to shape the day-night rhythm in AA-NAT enzymatic activity. By semiquantitative in situ hybridization we analyzed if the developmental onset of a rhythmic AA-NAT activity is correlated to a temporally parallel onset in AA-NAT transcription. We found that AA-NAT mRNA levels in rat pineal gland become rhythmic at postnatal day 5. Thus, AA-NAT gene transcription in rat pineal gland starts to show day-night differences shortly prior to the appearance of a rhythmic AA-NAT activity.