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Preincubation of synaptosome-rich homogenates of rat hypothalamus with melatonin resulted in significant decreases of norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and glutamate uptake. Melatonin inhibition was noncompetitive; apparent K_m’s of initial uptake processes were: (2.5 ± 0.3) × 10^–7Mfor norepinephrine, (2.6 ± 0.3) × 10^–7Mfor serotonin, (2.4 ± 0.4) × 10^–7Mfor dopamine and (1.0 ± 0.3) × 10^–7Mfor glutamate. Apparent K_¡’s for melatonin inhibition of transmitter uptake were: 0.64 ± 0.14 mM (norepinephrine), 0.23 ± 0.03 mM (serotonin), 0.51 ± 0.08 mM (dopamine) and 1.21 ± 0.10 mM (glutamate). Transmitter release evoked by increasing [K+] in medium to 30 mM was augmented by melatonin in a dose-dependent manner. Maximal effects were observed on serotonin release. Accumulation of ³H-melatonin within synaptosome-rich homogenates did not exhibit differences between 0 and 37 °C, indicating that the uptake of the hormone was not an active process. These results suggest that exogenously-administered melatonin may affect neurotransmitter accumulation and release in the hypothalamus by modification of the transmitter uptake mechanism rather than by competition with the transmitter for its uptake pump.

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