CLINICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF PINEAL GLAND FUNCTION IN INFANTS WITH EXTREMELY LOW BODY WEIGHT
Introduction. The functional activity of the pineal gland plays a dramatic important role in the adaptation to postnatal life and in the pathogenesis of the most common perinatal pathology of premature infants. The aim of the study. To determine the morphofunctional features of the pineal gland in...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Bukovynian State Medical University
2022-08-01
|
| Series: | Неонатологія, хірургія та перинатальна медицина |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://neonatology.bsmu.edu.ua/article/view/262175 |
| Summary: | Introduction. The functional activity of the pineal gland plays a dramatic important role in the adaptation to
postnatal life and in the pathogenesis of the most common perinatal pathology of premature infants.
The aim of the study. To determine the morphofunctional features of the pineal gland in premature infants with
extremely low body weight.
Material and methods. In 46 preterm infants with extremely low birth weight, the level of melatonin metabolite in
urine 6-sulfoxymelatonin was determined at first day of life. The 20 dead infants underwent macro- and microscopic
examination of the pineal gland using the immunohistochemical method.
Results. All preterm infants with extremely low birth weight had perinatal pathology, which led to death in 20 of
them. Urinary excretion of the metabolite melatonin 6-sulfoximelatonin in preterm infants with extremely low birth
weight in the first day of life, which had fatal consequences, significantly reduced compared with surviving children,
indicating depletion of functional activity of the pineal gland and may be as a marker of adverse course of the neonatal
period. Morphologically, in the pineal gland of premature infants with extremely low body weight there is an increase
in morphofunctional activity of pineal cells. This is confirmed by morphometric data and increased expression of
MelanA and S100 in immunohistochemical studies. Macro- and microscopic data suggest that extrauterine existence
in distress conditions accelerates the differentiation of the pineal gland (depletion) and indicates the presence
of damage to glandular tissue, which in turn reduces the synthesis of melatonin and its mediated metabolite 6 –
sulfoxymelatonin in urine.
Conclusions. Decreased urinary excretion of 6-sulfoximelatonin in preterm infants with extremely low birth
weight in the first day of life and mophological changes in the pineal gland of deceased children indicate depletion
of functional activity of the pineal gland in conditions of perinatal pathology
|
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2226-1230 2413-4260 |