Restricted food access during the daytime modifies the 24-h rhythmicity of apoptosis and cellular duplication in rat liver

Abstract

Twenty-four hour rhythmicity of liver metabolic and cellular activities is greatly modified by daytime restricted feeding (DRF). The use of this protocol has been associated with the study and characterization of the food-entrained oscillator (FEO). The aim of this project was to explore the adaptations in hepatic apoptotic activity and cellular duplication in a 2-h restricted-feeding schedule. Our findings indicate that DRF promoted a rise in the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis which is dependent of mitochondrial cytochrome C release. The group synchronized by food (FS) also showed an increased activity of caspase-3, but at the same time an augmented number of liver cells positive to cellular duplication marker (PCNA), proliferative cell nuclear antigen. The data strongly suggest that DRF/FEO expression causes an enhancement of cellular exchange in the liver.