Labunets I. The role of the pineal gland in the regulation of biorhythms of immune system functions in aging

Object: biorhythms of functioning of central and peripheral organs of the immune system and mechanisms of their control. Purpose: assessing role of the pineal gland in age changes of intra- and inter-systemic synchronization of circadian and circannual rhythms of immune system functioning in humans and animals; and disclosing mechanisms of synchronizing influences of pineal factors on immune system functioning. Methods: biological, radioimmune, immuneenzymic, physiological, cultural, immunological, statistics; equipment: microscope, laser flow cytofluorymetr, multiscan. Theoretical and practical results: the possible ways for influencing of the pineal gland factors on the biorhythms of the thymus and bone marrow functioning in adult and old mice have been disclosed. It was shown the significance of the pineal gland dysfunction for age-related disturbances of interactions of the thymus, adrenal cortex and activated T-lymphocytes relative the formation of the autumn rise of the level of serum antibodies in the immunizating mice. In the healthy human subjects there are the relationships of age-related changes of the circadian and circannual rhythms of the thymus endocrine function and the aging desynchronization of the pineal gland function. Age-related changes in the rhythmicity of thymic function and adrenal glands become more pronounced at the heart-vessel and oncological diseases and are greatly dependent upon disturbances of the melatonin-forming functioning of the pineal gland. The improved schemes for correction of the aging desynchronization of immune system functioning have been proposed. The novelty: the author has been first who showed in animals the circadian and circannual rhythms of the endocrine thymic function changed in aging. The relationships has been found between the thymus functioning and the changes occurring in the cell composition of the bone marrow. In healthy male versus female individuals, age-related changes of the rhythms in pineal gland, hypophyseal-adrenal system and thymus functioning occur at earlier life periods and are more pronounced. Practical introduction: methodological recommendation “Use of tissue preparations for prevention and treatment of accelerated aging”. The field of use: gerontology.