Daily Profiles of Salivary and Urinary Melatonin and Steroids in Healthy Prepubertal Boys

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the circadian hormonal profile of two circadian markers, melatonin and cortisol, as well as other steroids in prepubertal boys (Tanner stage I). Nine volunteer healthy prepubertal boys aged 10.8 +/- 0.11 years participated in this study. Concentrations of daily salivary and urinary hormones were quantified around 24-hours, every 3 hours, in daytime samples (collected between 07.00 h +/- 30 min and 21.00 h +/- 30 min) and night-time samples (collected between 21.00 h +/- 30 min and 07.00 h +/- 30 min). Significant differences (p < 0.01) were found between day- and nighttime secretion of salivary melatonin and urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin, whereas no significant differences were found between day- and nighttime secretion of salivary and urinary cortisol nor between day- and nighttime secretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS). The circadian profiles of salivary melatonin and cortisol showed large amplitude with a peak occurring at night (approximately 03.00 h) for melatonin and in the early morning (between 06.00 and 09.00 h) for cortisol. The curve patterns of the urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin and steroids (free cortisol and 17-OHCS) were coherent with data on saliva. The pattern of salivary androstenedione and testosterone were undetectable due to the very low concentrations of these steroids in the saliva of the prepubertal children. A strong significant positive correlation was observed between the daily salivary melatonin levels and the daily urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin excretion (R = 0.968, p < 0.001), and between free urinary cortisol and urinary 17-OHCS (R = 0.733, p = 0.025). The salivary and urinary hormones studied were independent of body mass index. This study shows the relevance of salivary cortisol and melatonin, although lower than in plasma, in testing adrenal and pineal function as markers of circadian rhythms. The data are of interest for the diagnosis and treatment of chronobiological disorders in prepubertal children.

An ultra-high sensitive bioanalytical method for plasma melatonin by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry using water as calibration matrix

“…The common advantages and pitfalls of IA, GC-MS, HPLC and LC-MS/MS had been well discussed previously [20]. Even though RIA has potential cross reactivity, it prevails in the most recent reports that monitored melatonin level in biological fluids [21][22][23], due to its ultra-high sensitivity, with a lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) less than 1 pg/mL. Compared to RIA, LC-MS/MS demonstrates less sensitivity, and is not widely applied to the studies of melatonin.…”

Development and evaluation of a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of salivary melatonin, cortisol and testosterone

“…Lack of coordination between circadian rhythms develops because different biological rhythms change with different speed [6]. Melatonin, cortisol and testosterone all have diurnal changes in concentrations [7][8][9][10]. Thus, the combined changes in the concentrations of all three hormones can be used as a robust marker of circadian disruption.…”

“…Thus, the combined changes in the concentrations of all three hormones can be used as a robust marker of circadian disruption. Touitou et al used salivary melatonin and cortisol to measure circadian profiles in prepubertal boys, however they were not able to measure testosterone due to lack of sensitivity in the applied assay [10]. Circadian disruption may be specifically interesting in relation to night work or work without daylight.…”

Management of advanced‐stage neuroblastoma in a patient with 21‐hydroxalase deficiency

“…3,5 The adrenal function of the two other infants with neuroblastoma was examined to determine the appropriate adrenal condition of an infant receiving the same treatments. Their serum cortisol and plasma ACTH levels during chemotherapy were about 15-25 mg/dL and 12-139.7 pg/mL, respectively, which are considered to be excessive in comparison to the normal cortisol range.…”