Effect of photoperiodic conditions of the North-West Russia and exogenous melatonin on physiological and biochemical parameters in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

We studied the effect of the photoperiodic conditions of the North-West Russia (Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk) and exogenous melatonin on the body weight and the physiological and biochemical parameters of blood serum in males and females of the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). The animals were divided into 2 groups: control (LD: 12 hours light/12 hours darkness) and experiment (NL: decrease in the duration of the daylight phase from 19:36/4:24 to 12/12, that is typical for the Republic of Karelia from June, 25 to September, 25). Each group was divided into 2 subgroups: hamsters of the 1st subgroup received drinking water without melatonin (LD, NL), and the 2nd group received melatonin (100 μg/animal) (LD + mel, NL + mel) at night. Males were more sensitive to the change in the photoperiod than females: their keeping in NL led to an increase in feed intake, body weight in the middle of the experiment, and total cholesterol and urea levels by the end of the experiment, while the activity of amylase, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase in the blood was lower compared to LD. It was established that the effect of melatonin on the studied parameters depended on the light regime and sex of the animals. Melatonin treatment the NL-females caused the enhancement of the effect of the light regime and the increase in the most of biochemical parameters of blood serum compared to the control, as well as the increase in body weight for the entire study period. The use of melatonin in the standard lighting conditions had a negative effect on the Syrian hamsters, causing intensification of metabolic processes and, as a result, a significant decrease in body weight in both males and females. In our opinion, the revealed differences between the experimental groups are primarily associated with a change in the synthesis of melatonin by the pineal gland in various light conditions.

mammals, circannual rhythms, melatonin, light mode, metabolism, serum biochemical parameters, food intake

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