Per2 Rhythms Research Articles

Cadmium as an endocrine disruptor: Correlation with anterior pituitary redox and circadian clock mechanisms and prevention by melatonin

To examine the effect of a low dose of cadmium (Cd) as an endocrine disruptor, male Wistar rats received CdCl2 (5ppm Cd) in drinking water or drinking water alone. After 1 month, the rats were euthanized at one of six time intervals around the clock and the 24-h pattern of adenohypophysial prolactin (PRL) synthesis and release, lipid peroxidation, and redox enzyme and metallothionein (MT) gene expression was examined. Cd suppressed 24-h rhythmicity in expression of the PRL gene and in circulating PRL by increasing them at early photophase only, in correlation with an augmented pituitary lipid peroxidation and redox enzyme expression. CdCl2 treatment effectively disrupted the 24-h variation in expression of every pituitary parameter tested except for MT-3. In a second experiment the effect of melatonin (3μg/ml in drinking water) was assessed at early photophase, the time of maximal endocrine-disrupting effect of Cd. Melatonin treatment blunted the effect of Cd on PRL synthesis and release, decreased Cd-induced lipid peroxidation, and counteracted the effect of Cd on expression of most redox enzymes. A third experiment was performed to examine whether melatonin could counteract Cd-induced changes in the 24-h pattern of pituitary circadian clock gene expression and plasma PRL, luteinizing hormone (LH), thyrotropin (TSH), and corticosterone levels. Rats receiving CdCl2 exhibited a suppressed daily rhythm of Clock expression and a significant disruption in daily rhythms of pituitary Bmal1, Per1, Per2, Cry1, and Cry2. The coadministration of melatonin restored rhythmicity in Clock and Bmal1 expression but shifted the maxima in pituitary Per1, Cry1, and Cry2 expression to the scotophase. Melatonin also counteracted the effect of Cd on 24-h rhythmicity of circulating PRL, LH, TSH, and corticosterone. The results highlight the occurrence of a significant endocrine disruptor effect of a low dose of Cd. Generally melatonin counteracted the effects of Cd and ameliorated partially the circadian disruption caused by the pollutant.

Distinct Phase Relationships between Suprachiasmatic Molecular Rhythms, Cerebral Cortex Molecular Rhythms, and Behavioral Rhythms in Early Runner (CAST/EiJ) and Nocturnal (C57BL/6J) Mice

We have previously established that CAST/EiJ (CAST) mice differ from normal mice, such as C57BL/6J (B6), in the timing of wheel-running onset relative to light/dark cycles. These mice provide an animal model for studies of the genetic and neurobiological basis for circadian phase misalignment in humans. Neither differences in endogenous circadian period nor the shape of the photic phase response curve explain the difference in the timing of activity onset between CAST and B6 mice, suggesting a mechanism downstream of the circadian clock. Here, we further test the hypothesis that the two strains differ with respect to circadian oscillations at the molecular level. Sleep/wake cycles were examined and rhythms of Period1 (Per1) and Period2 (Per2) expression were measured in the cerebral cortex, suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and other hypothalamic regions. Basic sleep and molecular research laboratory. Male mice of the B6 and CAST inbred strains. None. Sleep/wake cycles were advanced by approximately 4 h in CAST mice relative to B6 mice. This was paralleled by phase-advanced rhythms of Per1 and Per2 expression, as measured byin situ hybridization, in the cerebral cortex of CAST relative to B6. By contrast, the timing of circadian oscillations and the photic induction ofPer1 and Per2 expression in the SCN were unaffected by strain. The advanced phase of wheel running and sleep/wake cycles in CAST mice relative to B6 mice is apparently not associated with differences in molecular oscillations in the SCN clock itself, but most likely in mechanisms downstream of the SCN clock. CAST mice may therefore provide a model system to investigate circadian downstream mechanisms underlying unusual patterns of entrainment to the ambient photoperiod. Jiang P; Franklin KM; Duncan MJ; O'Hara BF; Wisor JP. Distinct phase relationships between suprachiasmatic molecular rhythms, cerebral cortex molecular rhythms, and behavioral rhythms in early runner (CAST/EiJ) and nocturnal (C57BL/6J) mice. SLEEP 2012;35(10):1385-1394.

Scheduled Feeding Alters the Timing of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Circadian Clock in Dexras1-Deficient Mice

Restricted feeding (RF) schedules are potent zeitgebers capable of entraining metabolic and hormonal rhythms in peripheral oscillators in anticipation of food. Behaviorally, this manifests in the form of food anticipatory activity (FAA) in the hours preceding food availability. Circadian rhythms of FAA are thought to be controlled by a food-entrainable oscillator (FEO) outside of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the central circadian pacemaker in mammals. Although evidence suggests that the FEO and the SCN are capable of interacting functionally under RF conditions, the genetic basis of these interactions remains to be defined. In this study, using dexras1-deficient (dexras1−/−) mice, the authors examined whether Dexras1, a modulator of multiple inputs to the SCN, plays a role in regulating the effects of RF on activity rhythms and gene expression in the SCN. Daytime RF under 12L:12D or constant darkness (DD) resulted in potentiated (but less stable) FAA expression in dexras1−/− mice compared with wild-type (WT) controls. Under these conditions, the magnitude and phase of the SCN-driven activity component were greatly perturbed in the mutants. Restoration to ad libitum (AL) feeding revealed a stable phase displacement of the SCN-driven activity component of dexras1−/− mice by ∼2 h in advance of the expected time. RF in the late night/early morning induced a long-lasting increase in the period of the SCN-driven activity component in the mutants but not the WT. At the molecular level, daytime RF advanced the rhythm of PER1, PER2, and pERK expression in the mutant SCN without having any effect in the WT. Collectively, these results indicate that the absence of Dexras1 sensitizes the SCN to perturbations resulting from restricted feeding. (Author correspondence: haiying.cheng@utoronto.ca)

Circadian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of teleost fish revealed by rhythmic period2 expression

In mammals, the role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) as the primary circadian clock that coordinates the biological rhythms of peripheral oscillators is well known. However, in teleosts, it remains unclear whether the SCN also functions as a circadian pacemaker. We used in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques to demonstrate that the molecular clock gene, per2, is expressed in the SCN of flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) larvae during the day and down-regulated at night, demonstrating that a circadian pacemaker exists in the SCN of this teleost. The finding that per2 expression in the SCN was also observed in the amberjack (Seriola dumerili), but not in medaka (Oryzias latipes), implies that interspecific variation exists in the extent to which the SCN controls the circadian rhythms of fish species, presumably reflecting their lifestyle. Rhythmic per2 expression was also detected in the pineal gland and pituitary, and aperiodic per2 expression was observed in the habenula, which is known to exhibit circadian rhythms in rodents. Since the ontogeny of per2 expression in the brain of early flounder larvae can be monitored by whole mount ISH, it is possible to investigate the effects of drugs and environmental conditions on the functional development of circadian clocks in the brain of fish larvae. In addition, flounder would be a good model for understanding the rhythmicity of marine fish. Our findings open a new frontier for investigating the role of the SCN in teleost circadian rhythms.

Single-cell resolution fluorescence imaging of circadian rhythms detected with a Nipkow spinning disk confocal system

Single-point laser scanning confocal imaging produces signals with high spatial resolution in living organisms. However, photo-induced toxicity, bleaching, and focus drift remain challenges, especially when recording over several days for monitoring circadian rhythms. Bioluminescence imaging is a tool widely used for this purpose, and does not cause photo-induced difficulties. However, bioluminescence signals are dimmer than fluorescence signals, and are potentially affected by levels of cofactors, including ATP, O2, and the substrate, luciferin. Here we describe a novel time-lapse confocal imaging technique to monitor circadian rhythms in living tissues. The imaging system comprises a multipoint scanning Nipkow spinning disk confocal unit and a high-sensitivity EM-CCD camera mounted on an inverted microscope with auto-focusing function. Brain slices of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the central circadian clock, were prepared from transgenic mice expressing a clock gene, Period 1 (Per1), and fluorescence reporter protein (Per1::d2EGFP). The SCN slices were cut out together with membrane, flipped over, and transferred to the collagen-coated glass dishes to obtain signals with a high signal-to-noise ratio and to minimize focus drift. The imaging technique and improved culture method enabled us to monitor the circadian rhythm of Per1::d2EGFP from optically confirmed single SCN neurons without noticeable photo-induced effects or focus drift. Using recombinant adeno-associated virus carrying a genetically encoded calcium indicator, we also monitored calcium circadian rhythms at a single-cell level in a large population of SCN neurons. Thus, the Nipkow spinning disk confocal imaging system developed here facilitates long-term visualization of circadian rhythms in living cells.

Synchronization of Circadian Per2 Rhythms and HSF1-BMAL1:CLOCK Interaction in Mouse Fibroblasts after Short-Term Heat Shock Pulse

Circadian rhythms are the general physiological processes of adaptation to daily environmental changes, such as the temperature cycle. A change in temperature is a resetting cue for mammalian circadian oscillators, which are possibly regulated by the heat shock (HS) pathway. The HS response (HSR) is a universal process that provides protection against stressful conditions, which promote protein-denaturation. Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is essential for HSR. In the study presented here, we investigated whether a short-term HS pulse can reset circadian rhythms. Circadian Per2 rhythm and HSF1-mediated gene expression were monitored by a real-time bioluminescence assay for mPer2 promoter-driven luciferase and HS element (HSE; HSF1-binding site)-driven luciferase activity, respectively. By an optimal duration HS pulse (43°C for approximately 30 minutes), circadian Per2 rhythm was observed in the whole mouse fibroblast culture, probably indicating the synchronization of the phases of each cell. This rhythm was preceded by an acute elevation in mPer2 and HSF1-mediated gene expression. Mutations in the two predicted HSE sites adjacent (one of them proximally) to the E-box in the mPer2 promoter dramatically abolished circadian mPer2 rhythm. Circadian Per2 gene/protein expression was not observed in HSF1-deficient cells. These findings demonstrate that HSF1 is essential to the synchronization of circadian rhythms by the HS pulse. Importantly, the interaction between HSF1 and BMAL1:CLOCK heterodimer, a central circadian transcription factor, was observed after the HS pulse. These findings reveal that even a short-term HS pulse can reset circadian rhythms and cause the HSF1-BMAL1:CLOCK interaction, suggesting the pivotal role of crosstalk between the mammalian circadian and HSR systems.

Site-Specific Changes in Brain Extra-SCN Oscillators during Early Pregnancy in the Rat

The influence of circadian timekeeping systems on behavior and physiology can change substantially as female mammals undergo the transition from a nonpregnant to a pregnant state. Here, we examined the possibility that site-specific changes in extra-SCN oscillators and in local rhythms might coincide with the emergence of new patterns of temporal organization among various behavioral and physiological rhythms. Specifically, we compared daily patterns of immunoreactive FOS and PER2 in 3 brain regions of pregnant and diestrous rats. We found that, in the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BnST-ov), the peak of the PER2 rhythm occurred approximately 12 hours out of phase in pregnant and diestrous females. In contrast, the phase of the rhythm in FOS was the same, but pregnant rats expressed more FOS in the BnST-ov than diestrous ones. In the central amygdala (CEA) of diestrous females, PER2 expression was arrhythmic, but Fos expression was elevated at night. No rhythms were seen in this region of pregnant females, nor were any rhythms seen in the basolateral amygdala of either group. Overall, the patterns in the BnST-ov and the CEA were consistent with the hypothesis that differential changes in daily rhythms within some extra-SCN brain regions might mediate the changes in the temporal organization of several behavioral and endocrine functions that occur during the transition from a nonpregnant to a pregnant state.

Effects of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Genotype on Circadian Gene Expression in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus and Peripheral Organs

The neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) has emerged as a key candidate molecule mediating the synchronization of rhythms in clock gene expression within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In addition, neurons expressing VIP are anatomically well positioned to mediate communication between the SCN and peripheral oscillators. In this study, we examined the temporal expression profile of 3 key circadian genes: Per1, Per2 , and Bmal1 in the SCN, the adrenal glands and the liver of mice deficient for the Vip gene (VIP KO), and their wild-type counterparts. We performed these measurements in mice held in a light/dark cycle as well as in constant darkness and found that rhythms in gene expression were greatly attenuated in the VIP-deficient SCN. In the periphery, the impact of the loss of VIP varied with the tissue and gene measured. In the adrenals, rhythms in Per1 were lost in VIP-deficient mice, while in the liver, the most dramatic impact was on the phase of the diurnal expression rhythms. Finally, we examined the effects of the loss of VIP on ex vivo explants of the same central and peripheral oscillators using the PER2::LUC reporter system. The VIP-deficient mice exhibited low amplitude rhythms in the SCN as well as altered phase relationships between the SCN and the peripheral oscillators. Together, these data suggest that VIP is critical for robust rhythms in clock gene expression in the SCN and some peripheral organs and that the absence of this peptide alters both the amplitude of circadian rhythms as well as the phase relationships between the rhythms in the SCN and periphery.

Circadian Nursing Induces PER1 Protein in Neuroendocrine Tyrosine Hydroxylase Neurones in the Rabbit Doe

Rabbit does nurse their pups once a day with circadian periodicity and pups ingest up to 35% of their body weight in milk in < 5 min. In the doe, there is a massive release of prolactin. We hypothesised that periodic suckling synchronises dopaminergic populations that control prolactin secretion. We explored this by immunohistochemical colocalisation of PER1 protein, the product of the clock gene Per1 on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) cells in three dopaminergic populations: tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA), periventricular hypophyseal dopaminergic (PHDA) and incertohypothalamic dopaminergic (IHDA) cells. PER1/TH colocalisation was explored every 4 h through a complete 24-h cycle at postpartum day 7 in does that nursed their pups either at 10.00 h (ZT03) or at 02.00 h (ZT19; ZT0 = 07.00 h, time of lights on). Nonpregnant, nonlactating females were used as controls. In control females, there was a rhythm of PER1 that peaks at ZT15. By contrast, in nursed does, the PER1 peak shifted in parallel to scheduled nursing in TIDA and PHDA cells but not in IHDA cells, which are not related to the control of prolactin. Next, we determined that the absence of suckling for 48 h significantly decreases the number of PER1/TH colocalised cells in PHDA but not TIDA cells. Locomotor behaviour in control subjects was maximal at around the time of lights on but, in nursed females, shifted at around the time of scheduled nursing. Finally, in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, there is a maximal expression of PER1 at ZT11 in the three groups. However, this maximal expression was significantly lower in the nursed groups in relation to the control group and in the groups deprived of nursing for 48 h. We conclude that suckling synchronises dopaminergic cells related to the control of prolactin and appears to be a nonphotic stimulus for the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

Neuropeptide signaling differentially affects phase maintenance and rhythm generation in SCN and extra-SCN circadian oscillators.

Circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior are coordinated by the brain's dominant circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and its receptor, VPAC2, play important roles in the functioning of the SCN pacemaker. Mice lacking VPAC2 receptors (Vipr2−/−) express disrupted behavioral and metabolic rhythms and show altered SCN neuronal activity and clock gene expression. Within the brain, the SCN is not the only site containing endogenous circadian oscillators, nor is it the only site of VPAC2 receptor expression; both VPAC2 receptors and rhythmic clock gene/protein expression have been noted in the arcuate (Arc) and dorsomedial (DMH) nuclei of the mediobasal hypothalamus, and in the pituitary gland. The functional role of VPAC2 receptors in rhythm generation and maintenance in these tissues is, however, unknown. We used wild type (WT) and Vipr2−/− mice expressing a luciferase reporter (PER2::LUC) to investigate whether circadian rhythms in the clock gene protein PER2 in these extra-SCN tissues were compromised by the absence of the VPAC2 receptor. Vipr2−/− SCN cultures expressed significantly lower amplitude PER2::LUC oscillations than WT SCN. Surprisingly, in Vipr2−/− Arc/ME/PT complex (Arc, median eminence and pars tuberalis), DMH and pituitary, the period, amplitude and rate of damping of rhythms were not significantly different to WT. Intriguingly, while we found WT SCN and Arc/ME/PT tissues to maintain a consistent circadian phase when cultured, the phase of corresponding Vipr2−/− cultures was reset by cull/culture procedure. These data demonstrate that while the main rhythm parameters of extra-SCN circadian oscillations are maintained in Vipr2−/− mice, the ability of these oscillators to resist phase shifts is compromised. These deficiencies may contribute towards the aberrant behavior and metabolism associated with Vipr2−/− animals. Further, our data indicate a link between circadian rhythm strength and the ability of tissues to resist circadian phase resetting.

A Noradrenergic Sensitive Endogenous Clock Is Present in the Rat Pineal Gland

The aim of this study was to examine the occurrence of endogenous oscillations of Per1, Per2, Bmal1 and Rev-erbα genes in rat pineal explants and to investigate their regulation by adrenergic ligands. Our results show a significant and sustained rhythm of Per2,Bmal1 and Rev-erbα gene expression for up to 48 h in cultured pineal gland with a pattern similar to that observed in vivo. By contrast, the rhythms of Per1 and Aa-nat, the rate-limiting enzyme for melatonin synthesis, were strongly attenuated after 24 h in culture. Addition of the exogenous adrenergic agonist isoproterenol on cultured pineal glands induced a short-term increase in mRNA levels of Per1 and Aa-nat, but not those of Per2,Bmal1 and Rev-erbα. This study demonstrates that the rat pineal gland hosts a circadian oscillator as evidenced by the sustained, noradrenergic-independent, endogenous oscillations of Per2, Bmal1 and Rev-erbα mRNA levels in cultured tissues. Only expression of Per1 was stimulated by adrenergic ligands suggesting that, in vivo, the adrenergic input could synchronize the pineal clock by acting selectively on Per1.

Ontogeny of the Circadian System During Embryogenesis in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykyss) and the Effect of Prolonged Exposure to Continuous Illumination on Daily Rhythms of per1, clock, and aanat2 Expression

It is widely held that the development of the circadian system during embryogenesis is important for future survival of an organism. Work in teleosts has been, to date, limited to zebrafish, which provides little insight into the diversity of this system within such a large vertebrate class. In this study, the authors analyzed the diel expression of per1, clock, and aanat2 in unfertilized rainbow trout oocytes and embryos maintained under either a 12:12-h light:dark (LD) cycle or continuous illumination (LL) from fertilization. 24-h profiles in expression were measured at fertilization as well as 8, 21 42, and 57 days postfertilization (dpf). Both per1 and clock were expressed in unfertilized oocytes and all embryonic stages, whereas aanat2 expression was only measureable from 8 dpf. A reduction in both per1 and clock mean expression levels between unfertilized oocytes/0–1 dpf embryos and 8–9 dpf embryos was suggestive of a transition from maternal RNA to endogenous mRNA expression. Although aanat2 expression was not clearly associated with photic conditions, photoperiod treatment did alter the expression of per1 and clock expression/rhythmicity from as early as 8 dpf (per1), which could suggest the presence and functionality of an as yet unidentified “photoreceptor.” As a whole, this work demonstrates that clock systems are present and functional during embryonic development in rainbow trout. Further studies of their expression and regulation will help understand how the environment interacts with embryonic development in the species. (Author correspondence: andrew.davie@stir.ac.uk)

Structural and functional changes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus following chronic circadian rhythm perturbation

Circadian rhythms, generated in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), are synchronized to the ambient light/dark (LD) cycle. Long-term disruptions in circadian rhythms are associated with many health problems. However, the underlying mechanisms for such pathologies are not well understood. In the present study, we utilized a chronic jet lag paradigm consisting of weekly 6 h phase shifts in the LD cycle to investigate the circadian responses in behavior and in the functioning of the SCN following long-term circadian perturbation, and to explore the duration and direction dependent changes of the SCN using rats subjected to weekly phase advances or delays. Wheel-running activity was monitored over four weekly phase advances. The nocturnal activity pattern was re-established by the end of each shift, and the rate for recovering the nocturnality appeared to accelerate following multiple shifts. SCN function was assessed by the expressions of the protein product of clock gene PER1 and of two putative SCN output signals, arginine vasopressin (AVP) and prokineticin2 (Pk2). At the end of the 4th weekly advance, the amplitude of the PER1 rhythm in the SCN decreased, and this reduction was more prominent in the dorsomedial SCN than in the ventrolateral SCN. The levels of AVP and Pk2 expression were also attenuated in the SCN and in targets of its efferent projections. Comparing rats subjected to four or eight shifts of either delay or advance, the results revealed that the responses of the SCN depended on both duration and direction of the shifts, such that the level of PER1 expression further decreased at the end of the 8th compared to the 4th phase advance, but did not change significantly following phase delays. Taken together, the results suggest that rhythm perturbation could compromise the time-keeping function of the SCN, which could contribute to the associated health issues.

Rhythmic expression of per1 in the dentate gyrus is suppressed by corticosterone: Implications for neurogenesis

The stimulating action of anti-depressant drugs on the number of mitotic cells on the dentate gyrus on the adult rat depends on an intact diurnal rhythm of corticosterone. This suggests that there may be a clock mechanism in the dentate gyrus which is sensitive to corticoids. This paper reports the diurnal expression the ‘clock’ gene per1 in the dentate gyrus, and how it is altered by clamping the diurnal rhythm in corticosterone. We show that there is a diurnal rhythm in the number of mitotic progenitor cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in adult male per1-luciferase rats, approximately 6 h out of phase with the plasma corticosterone rhythm. This is suppressed by clamping the daily corticosterone levels by a subcutaneous implant of corticosterone (100 mg). There was also a daily rhythm of per1 expression in both suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the dentate gyrus, which were in phase with one another. The per1 rhythm in the dentate gyrus, but not the SCN, was suppressed by clamping the plasma corticosterone rhythm. These results are related to the previous finding that clamping the corticosterone rhythm also prevents the stimulating action of fluoxetine and other controlling agents on the mitotic activity of the progenitor cells.

In a Rat Model of Night Work, Activity during the Normal Resting Phase Produces Desynchrony in the Hypothalamus

Internal synchrony among external cycles and internal oscillators allows adaptation of physiology to cyclic demands for homeostasis. Night work and shift work lead to a disrupted phase relationship between external time cues and internal rhythms, also losing internal coherence among oscillations. This process results in internal desynchrony (ID) in which behavioral, hormonal, and metabolic variables cycle out of phase. It is still not clear whether ID originates at a peripheral or at a central level. In order to determine the possible role of hypothalamic oscillators in ID, we explored with a rat model of "night work" daily rhythms of activity and clock gene expression in the hypothalamus. This study provides evidence that wakefulness and activity during the normal resting phase lead to a shift in the diurnal rhythms of c-Fos and induce a rhythm of PER1 in the arcuate and dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, both associated with metabolism and regulation of the sleep/wake cycle. Moreover, the number of orexin (ORX)-positive neurons and c-Fos in the perifornical area increased during the working period, suggesting a relevant switch of activity in this brain region induced by the scheduled activity; however, the colocalization of c-Fos in ORX-positive cells was not increased. In contrast, the suprachiasmatic nucleus and the paraventricular nucleus remained locked to the light/dark cycle, resulting in ID in the hypothalamus. Present data suggest that ID occurs already at the level of the first output projections from the SCN, relaying nuclei that transmit temporal signals to other brain areas and to the periphery.

Combination of starvation interval and food volume determines the phase of liver circadian rhythm in Per2::Luc knock-in mice under two meals per day feeding

Although the circadian liver clock is entrained by the feeding cycle, factors such as food volume and starvation interval are poorly understood. Per2::Luc knock-in mice were given two meals per day with different food volume sizes and/or with different intervals of starvation between two mealtimes with the total food volume per day fixed at 3.6 g (80 food pellets, ∼75% of free feeding) per mouse. The bioluminescence rhythm in the liver produced a unimodal peak but not bimodal peak under the regimen of two meals per day over 14-15 days. Peak Per2 expression occurred concurrently with the mealtime of the larger food volume, when the first and second meal were given as different food volume ratios under a 12 h feeding interval. When an equal volume of food was given under different starvation interval (8 h:16 h), the peak of the Per2 rhythm was close to peak by mealtime after long starvation (16 h). When food volumes for each mealtime were changed under 8 h:16 h, the peak rhythm was influenced by combined factors of food volume and starvation interval. Food intake after the 16-h starvation caused a significant increase in liver Per2, Dec1, and Bmal1 gene expression compared with food intake after the 8-h starvation with 8 h:16 h feeding intervals. In conclusion, the present results clearly demonstrate that food-induced entrainment of the liver clock is dependent on both food volume and the starvation interval between two meals. Therefore, normal feeding habits may help to maintain normal clock function in the liver organ.

Nighttime dim light exposure alters the responses of the circadian system

The daily light dark cycle is the most salient entraining factor for the circadian system. However, in modern society, darkness at night is vanishing as light pollution steadily increases. The impact of brighter nights on wild life ecology and human physiology is just now being recognized. In the present study, we tested the possible detrimental effects of dim light exposure on the regulation of circadian rhythms, using CD1 mice housed in light/dim light (LdimL, 300 lux:20 lux) or light/dark (LD, 300 lux:1 lux) conditions. We first examined the expression of clock genes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the locus of the principal brain clock, in the animals of the LD and LdimL groups. Under the entrained condition, there was no difference in PER1 peak expression between the two groups, but at the trough of the PER 1 rhythm, there was an increase in PER1 in the LdimL group, indicating a decrease in the amplitude of the PER1 rhythm. After a brief light exposure (30 min, 300 lux) at night, the light-induced expression of mPer1 and mPer2 genes was attenuated in the SCN of LdimL group. Next, we examined the behavioral rhythms by monitoring wheel-running activity to determine whether the altered responses in the SCN of LdimL group have behavioral consequence. Compared to the LD controls, the LdimL group showed increased daytime activity. After being released into constant darkness, the LdimL group displayed shorter free-running periods. Furthermore, following the light exposure, the phase shifting responses were smaller in the LdimL group. The results indicate that nighttime dim light exposure can cause functional changes of the circadian system, and suggest that altered circadian function could be one of the mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of light pollution on wild life ecology and human physiology.

Entrainment of disrupted circadian behavior through inhibition of casein kinase 1 (CK1) enzymes

Circadian pacemaking requires the orderly synthesis, posttranslational modification, and degradation of clock proteins. In mammals, mutations in casein kinase 1 (CK1) epsilon or delta can alter the circadian period, but the particular functions of the WT isoforms within the pacemaker remain unclear. We selectively targeted WT CK1epsilon and CK1delta using pharmacological inhibitors (PF-4800567 and PF-670462, respectively) alongside genetic knockout and knockdown to reveal that CK1 activity is essential to molecular pacemaking. Moreover, CK1delta is the principal regulator of the clock period: pharmacological inhibition of CK1delta, but not CK1epsilon, significantly lengthened circadian rhythms in locomotor activity in vivo and molecular oscillations in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and peripheral tissue slices in vitro. Period lengthening mediated by CK1delta inhibition was accompanied by nuclear retention of PER2 protein both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, phase mapping of the molecular clockwork in vitro showed that PF-670462 treatment lengthened the period in a phase-specific manner, selectively extending the duration of PER2-mediated transcriptional feedback. These findings suggested that CK1delta inhibition might be effective in increasing the amplitude and synchronization of disrupted circadian oscillators. This was tested using arrhythmic SCN slices derived from Vipr2(-/-) mice, in which PF-670462 treatment transiently restored robust circadian rhythms of PER2::Luc bioluminescence. Moreover, in mice rendered behaviorally arrhythmic by the Vipr2(-/-) mutation or by constant light, daily treatment with PF-670462 elicited robust 24-h activity cycles that persisted throughout treatment. Accordingly, selective pharmacological targeting of the endogenous circadian regulator CK1delta offers an avenue for therapeutic modulation of perturbed circadian behavior.

Circadian oscillators in the epithalamus

The habenula complex is implicated in a range of cognitive, emotional and reproductive behaviors, and recently this epithalamic structure was suggested to be a component of the brain's circadian system. Circadian timekeeping is driven in cells by the cyclical activity of core clock genes and proteins such as per2/PER2. There are currently no reports of rhythmic clock gene/protein expression in the habenula and therefore the question of whether this structure has an intrinsic molecular clock remains unresolved. Here, using videomicroscopy imaging and photon-counting of a PER2::luciferase (LUC) fusion protein together with multiunit electrophysiological recordings, we tested the endogenous circadian properties of the mouse habenula in vitro. We show that a circadian oscillator is localized primarily to the medial portion of the lateral habenula. Rhythms in PER2:: LUC bioluminescence here are visualized in single cells and oscillations continue in the presence of the sodium channel blocker, tetrodotoxin, indicating that individual cells have intrinsic timekeeping properties. Ependymal cells lining the dorsal third ventricle also express circadian oscillations of PER2. These findings establish that neurons and non-neuronal cells in the epithalamus express rhythms in cellular and molecular activities, indicating a role for circadian oscillators in the temporal regulation of habenula controlled processes and behavior.

Restricted Feeding Phase Shifts Clock Gene and Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) Expression in Rats1–4

The intestine exhibits striking diurnal rhythmicity in glucose uptake, mediated by the sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLT1); however, regulatory pathways for these rhythms remain incompletely characterized. We hypothesized that SGLT1 rhythmicity is linked to the circadian clock. To investigate this, we examined rhythmicity of Sglt1 and individual clock genes in rats that consumed food ad libitum (AL). We further compared phase shifts of Sglt1 and clock genes in a second group of rats following restricted feeding to either the dark (DF) or light (LF) phase. Rats fed during the DF were pair-fed to rats fed during the LF. Jejunal mucosa was harvested across the diurnal period to generate expression profiles of Sglt1 and clock genes Clock, Bmal1 (brain-muscle Arnt-like 1), ReverbA/B, Per(Period) 1/2, and Cry (Cryptochrome) 1/2. All clock genes were rhythmic in AL rats (P < 0.05). Sglt1 also exhibited diurnal rhythmicity, with peak expression preceding nutrient arrival (P < 0.05). Light-restricted feeding shifted the expression rhythms of Sglt1 and most clock genes (Bmal1, ReverbA and B, Per1, Per2, and Cry1) compared with dark-restricted feeding (P < 0.05). The Sglt1 rhythm shifted in parallel with rhythms of Per1 and ReverbB. These effects of restricted feeding highlight luminal nutrients as a key Zeitgeber in the intestine, capable of simultaneously shifting the phases of transporter and clock gene expression, and suggest a role for clock genes in regulating Sglt1 and therefore glucose uptake. Understanding the regulatory cues governing rhythms in intestinal function may allow new therapeutic options for conditions of dysregulated absorption such as diabetes and obesity.