Crosstalk between components of circadian and metabolic cycles in mammals

Retinoid X Receptors Intersect the Molecular Clockwork in the Regulation of Liver Metabolism

Liver metabolic pathways are driven by the biological clock, and appropriate timing of 24-h patterns of metabolic gene expression as well as anabolic/catabolic processes with wake-related activity/feeding and sleep-related resting/fasting cycles preserves hepatic healthiness. The interplay among the liver metabolic pathways and the molecular clockwork is geared by the nuclear receptors, and ligand-dependent transcription factors that gauge the cellular nutritional status and redox balance, bind hormones and metabolites, and modulate the transcription of thousands target genes through their DNA-binding domain. Several nuclear receptors in the liver oscillate with circadian rhythmicity, and among these, the retinoid X receptors play a key role in metabolism regulation, intersecting with the cogs of the molecular clockwork.

Reciprocal regulation of carbon monoxide metabolism and the circadian clock

Circadian clocks are cell-autonomous oscillators regulating daily rhythms in a wide range of physiological, metabolic and behavioral processes. Feedback of metabolic signals, such as redox state, NAD+/NADH and AMP/ADP ratios, or heme, modulate circadian rhythms and thereby optimize energy utilization across the 24-h cycle. We show that rhythmic heme degradation, which generates the signaling molecule carbon monoxide (CO), is required for normal circadian rhythms as well as circadian metabolic outputs. CO suppresses circadian transcription by attenuating CLOCK-BMAL1 binding to target promoters. Pharmacological inhibition or genetic depletion of CO-producing heme oxygenases abrogates normal daily cycles in mammalian cells and Drosophila. In mouse hepatocytes, suppression of CO production leads to a global upregulation of CLOCK-BMAL1-dependent circadian gene expression and dysregulated glucose metabolism. Together, our findings show that CO metabolism is an important link between the basic circadian-clock machinery, metabolism and behavior.

Molecular switching involving metastable states: molecular thermal hysteresis and sensing of environmental changes by chiral helicene oligomeric foldamers

Molecular switching is a phenomenon in which the molecular structure reversibly changes in response to external stimulation. It is crucial in biology and is used in various biological sensing applications and responses. In contrast to the well-studied molecular switching involving two or more thermodynamically stable states, switching involving metastable states exhibits notable non-equilibrium thermodynamic properties. Synthetic chiral helicene oligomeric foldamers that exhibit molecular thermal hysteresis in dilute solution are examples. Molecular switching can be used for sensing environmental changes, including temperature threshold, temperature decrease/increase, rate of temperature decrease, counting the numbers 1 and 2, and concentration increase.

Molecular Targets for Small-Molecule Modulators of Circadian Clocks

BACKGROUND

Circadian clocks are endogenous timing systems that regulate various aspects of mammalian metabolism, physiology and behavior. Traditional chronotherapy refers to the administration of drugs in a defined circadian time window to achieve optimal pharmacokinetic and therapeutic efficacies. In recent years, substantial efforts have been dedicated to developing novel small-molecule modulators of circadian clocks.

METHODS

Here, we review the recent progress in the identification of molecular targets of small-molecule clock modulators and their efficacies in clock-related disorders. Specifically, we examine the clock components and regulatory factors as possible molecular targets of small molecules, and we review several key clock-related disorders as promising venues for testing the preventive/therapeutic efficacies of these small molecules. Finally, we also discuss circadian regulation of drug metabolism.

RESULTS

Small molecules can modulate the period, phase and/or amplitude of the circadian cycle. Core clock proteins, nuclear hormone receptors, and clock-related kinases and other epigenetic regulators are promising molecular targets for small molecules. Through these targets small molecules exert protective effects against clock-related disorders including the metabolic syndrome, immune disorders, sleep disorders and cancer. Small molecules can also modulate circadian drug metabolism and response to existing therapeutics.

CONCLUSION

Small-molecule clock modulators target clock components or diverse cellular pathways that functionally impinge upon the clock. Target identification of new small-molecule modulators will deepen our understanding of key regulatory nodes in the circadian network. Studies of clock modulators will facilitate their therapeutic applications, alone or in combination, for clock-related diseases.

Circadian physiology of metabolism

A majority of mammalian genes exhibit daily fluctuations in expression levels, making circadian expression rhythms the largest known regulatory network in normal physiology. Cell-autonomous circadian clocks interact with daily light-dark and feeding-fasting cycles to generate approximately 24-hour oscillations in the function of thousands of genes. Circadian expression of secreted molecules and signaling components transmits timing information between cells and tissues. Such intra- and intercellular daily rhythms optimize physiology both by managing energy use and by temporally segregating incompatible processes. Experimental animal models and epidemiological data indicate that chronic circadian rhythm disruption increases the risk of metabolic diseases. Conversely, time-restricted feeding, which imposes daily cycles of feeding and fasting without caloric reduction, sustains robust diurnal rhythms and can alleviate metabolic diseases. These findings highlight an integrative role of circadian rhythms in physiology and offer a new perspective for treating chronic diseases in which metabolic disruption is a hallmark.

Neural Stem Cells and Nutrients: Poised Between Quiescence and Exhaustion

Adult neurogenesis initiated by neural stem cells (NSCs) contributes to brain homeostasis, damage repair, and cognition. Energy metabolism plays a pivotal role in neurogenic cell fate decisions regarding self-renewal, expansion and multilineage differentiation. NSCs need to fine-tune quiescence and proliferation/commitment to guarantee lifelong neurogenesis and avoid premature exhaustion. Accumulating evidence supports a model whereby calorie restriction or increased energy expenditure reinforce NSC quiescence and promote self-renewal. Conversely, growth/proliferation inputs and anabolic signals, although necessary for neurogenesis, deplete the NSCs pool in the long run. This framework incorporates the emerging neurogenic roles of nutrient-sensing signaling pathways, providing a rationale for the alarming connection between nutritional imbalances, metabolic disorders and accelerated brain aging.

Mitochondrial H2O2 signaling is controlled by the concerted action of peroxiredoxin III and sulfiredoxin: Linking mitochondrial function to circadian rhythm

Mitochondria produce hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) during energy metabolism in most mammalian cells as well as during the oxidation of cholesterol associated with the synthesis of steroid hormones in steroidogenic cells. Some of the H₂O₂ produced in mitochondria is released into the cytosol, where it serves as a key regulator of various signaling pathways. Given that mitochondria are equipped with several H₂O₂-eliminating enzymes, however, it had not been clear how mitochondrial H₂O₂ can escape destruction by these enzymes for such release. Peroxiredoxin III (PrxIII) is the most abundant and efficient H₂O₂-eliminating enzyme in mitochondria of most cell types. We found that PrxIII undergoes reversible inactivation through hyperoxidation of its catalytic cysteine residue to cysteine sulfinic acid, and that release of mitochondrial H₂O₂ likely occurs as a result of such PrxIII inactivation. The hyperoxidized form of PrxIII (PrxIII-SO₂H) is reduced and reactivated by sulfiredoxin (Srx). We also found that the amounts of PrxIII-SO₂H and Srx undergo antiphasic circadian oscillation in mitochondria of the adrenal gland, heart, and brown adipose tissue of mice maintained under normal conditions. Cytosolic Srx was found to be imported into mitochondria via a mechanism that requires formation of a disulfide-linked complex with heat shock protein 90, which is likely promoted by H₂O₂ released from mitochondria. The imported Srx was found to be degraded by Lon protease in a manner dependent on PrxIII hyperoxidation state. The coordinated import and degradation of Srx underlie Srx oscillation and consequent PrxIII-SO₂H oscillation in mitochondria. The rhythmic change in the amount of PrxIII-SO₂H suggests that mitochondrial release of H₂O₂ is also likely a circadian event that conveys temporal information on steroidogenesis in the adrenal gland and on energy metabolism in heart and brown adipose tissue to cytosolic signaling pathways.

Global and hepatocyte-specific ablation of Bmal1 induces hyperlipidaemia and enhances atherosclerosis

Circadian rhythms controlled by clock genes affect plasma lipids. Here we show that global ablation of Bmal1 in Apoe-/- and Ldlr-/- mice and its liver-specific ablation in Apoe-/- (L-Bmal1-/-Apoe-/-) mice increases, whereas overexpression of BMAL1 in L-Bmal1-/-Apoe-/- and Apoe-/-mice decreases hyperlipidaemia and atherosclerosis. Bmal1 deficiency augments hepatic lipoprotein secretion and diminishes cholesterol excretion to the bile. Further, Bmal1 deficiency reduces expression of Shp and Gata4. Reductions in Shp increase Mtp expression and lipoprotein production, whereas reductions in Gata4 diminish Abcg5/Abcg8 expression and biliary cholesterol excretion. Forced SHP expression normalizes lipoprotein secretion with no effect on biliary cholesterol excretion, while forced GATA4 expression increases cholesterol excretion to the bile and reduces plasma lipids in L-Bmal1-/-Apoe-/- and Apoe-/- mice. Thus, our data indicate that Bmal1 modulates lipoprotein production and biliary cholesterol excretion by regulating the expression of Mtp and Abcg5/Abcg8 via Shp and Gata4.

Mitochondrial H2O2 signaling is controlled by the concerted action of peroxiredoxin III and sulfiredoxin: Linking mitochondrial function to circadian rhythm

Mitochondria produce hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) during energy metabolism in most mammalian cells as well as during the oxidation of cholesterol associated with the synthesis of steroid hormones in steroidogenic cells. Some of the H₂O₂ produced in mitochondria is released into the cytosol, where it serves as a key regulator of various signaling pathways. Given that mitochondria are equipped with several H₂O₂-eliminating enzymes, however, it had not been clear how mitochondrial H₂O₂ can escape destruction by these enzymes for such release. Peroxiredoxin III (PrxIII) is the most abundant and efficient H₂O₂-eliminating enzyme in mitochondria of most cell types. We found that PrxIII undergoes reversible inactivation through hyperoxidation of its catalytic cysteine residue to cysteine sulfinic acid, and that release of mitochondrial H₂O₂ likely occurs as a result of such PrxIII inactivation. The hyperoxidized form of PrxIII (PrxIII-SO₂H) is reduced and reactivated by sulfiredoxin (Srx). We also found that the amounts of PrxIII-SO₂H and Srx undergo antiphasic circadian oscillation in mitochondria of the adrenal gland, heart, and brown adipose tissue of mice maintained under normal conditions. Cytosolic Srx was found to be imported into mitochondria via a mechanism that requires formation of a disulfide-linked complex with heat shock protein 90, which is likely promoted by H₂O₂ released from mitochondria. The imported Srx was found to be degraded by Lon protease in a manner dependent on PrxIII hyperoxidation state. The coordinated import and degradation of Srx underlie Srx oscillation and consequent PrxIII-SO₂H oscillation in mitochondria. The rhythmic change in the amount of PrxIII-SO₂H suggests that mitochondrial release of H₂O₂ is also likely a circadian event that conveys temporal information on steroidogenesis in the adrenal gland and on energy metabolism in heart and brown adipose tissue to cytosolic signaling pathways.

Ambient Light Exposure and Changes in Obesity Parameters: A Longitudinal Study of the HEIJO-KYO Cohort

CONTEXT

Previous epidemiological studies have suggested an association between nighttime light levels and the prevalence of obesity, although evidence is limited to cross-sectional studies.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the longitudinal association between ambient light exposure and the subsequent changes in obesity parameters.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

Data from 1110 elderly participants at baseline (mean age, 71.9 years) and data from 766 at follow-up (median, 21 months) were included in this prospective population-based study.

MEASURES

Time-dependent ambient light exposure based on objective measurements and changes in the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and body mass index (BMI) were measured.

RESULTS

Multivariable mixed-effect linear regression models showed a significant association between light exposure and the %WHtR gain; this was independent of potential confounders (eg, caloric intake, physical activity, and sleep/wake parameters). Nighttime or evening exposure to higher light intensity was significantly associated with subsequent %WHtR gain. Morning exposure to a longer time ≥500 lux or nighttime exposure to a longer time <3 lux was significantly associated with subsequent %WHtR loss. These association trends were nearly consistent when the BMI was used as an obesity parameter. Increased nighttime light exposure (mean ≥3 vs <3 lux) was estimated to correspond to a 10.2% WHtR gain and a 10.0% increase in BMI over 10 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Ambient light exposure, such as increased nighttime or evening light exposure and decreased morning light exposure, was independently associated with subsequent increases in obesity parameters. Further interventional studies are warranted to establish an optimal controlled lighting environment as a preventive option against obesity.

CLOCK-BMAL1 regulate the cardiac L-type calcium channel subunit CACNA1C through PI3K-Akt signaling pathway

The heterodimerized transcription factors CLOCK-BMAL1 regulate the cardiomyocyte circadian rhythms. The L-type calcium currents play important role in the cardiac electrogenesis and arrhythmogenesis. Whether and how the CLOCK-BMAL1 regulate the cardiac L-type calcium channels are yet to be determined. The functions of the L-type calcium channels were evaluated with patch clamping techniques. Recombinant adenoviruses of CLOCK and BMAL1 were used in the expression experiments. We reported that the expressions and functions of CACNA1C (the α-subunit of the L-type calcium channels) showed circadian rhythms, with the peak at zeitgeber time 3 (ZT3). The endocardial action potential durations 90 (APD90) were correspondingly longer at ZT3. The protein levels of the phosphorylated Akt at threonine 308 (pAkt T308) also showed circadian rhythms. Overexpressions of CLOCK-BMAL1 significantly reduced the levels of CACNA1C while increasing the levels of pAkt T308 and pik3r1. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of CLOCK-BMAL1 on CACNA1C could be abolished by the Akt inhibitor MK2206 or the PDK1 inhibitor GSK2334470. Collectively, our findings suggested that the expressions of the cardiac CACNA1C were under the CLOCK-BMAL1 regulation, probably through the PI3K-Akt signal pathway.

CRTC Potentiates Light-independent timeless Transcription to Sustain Circadian Rhythms in Drosophila

Light is one of the strongest environmental time cues for entraining endogenous circadian rhythms. Emerging evidence indicates that CREB-regulated transcription co-activator 1 (CRTC1) is a key player in this pathway, stimulating light-induced Period1 (Per1) transcription in mammalian clocks. Here, we demonstrate a light-independent role of Drosophila CRTC in sustaining circadian behaviors. Genomic deletion of the crtc locus causes long but poor locomotor rhythms in constant darkness. Overexpression or RNA interference-mediated depletion of CRTC in circadian pacemaker neurons similarly impairs the free-running behavioral rhythms, implying that Drosophila clocks are sensitive to the dosage of CRTC. The crtc null mutation delays the overall phase of circadian gene expression yet it remarkably dampens light-independent oscillations of TIMELESS (TIM) proteins in the clock neurons. In fact, CRTC overexpression enhances CLOCK/CYCLE (CLK/CYC)-activated transcription from tim but not per promoter in clock-less S2 cells whereas CRTC depletion suppresses it. Consistently, TIM overexpression partially but significantly rescues the behavioral rhythms in crtc mutants. Taken together, our data suggest that CRTC is a novel co-activator for the CLK/CYC-activated tim transcription to coordinate molecular rhythms with circadian behaviors over a 24-hour time-scale. We thus propose that CRTC-dependent clock mechanisms have co-evolved with selective clock genes among different species.

Circadian RNA expression elicited by 3'-UTR IRAlu-paraspeckle associated elements

Paraspeckles are nuclear bodies form around the long non-coding RNA, Neat1, and RNA-binding proteins. While their role is not fully understood, they are believed to control gene expression at a post-transcriptional level by means of the nuclear retention of mRNA containing in their 3’-UTR inverted repeats of Alu sequences (IRAlu). In this study, we found that, in pituitary cells, all components of paraspeckles including four major proteins and Neat1 displayed a circadian expression pattern. Furthermore the insertion of IRAlu at the 3’-UTR of the EGFP cDNA led to a rhythmic circadian nuclear retention of the egfp mRNA that was lost when paraspeckles were disrupted whereas insertion of a single antisense Alu had only a weak effect. Using real-time video-microscopy, these IRAlu were further shown to drive a circadian expression of EGFP protein. This study shows that paraspeckles, thanks to their circadian expression, control circadian gene expression at a post-transcriptional level.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14837.001

Many biological features of animals, including body temperature and hormone levels, follow daily rhythms that repeat every 24 hours. These so-called circadian rhythms are driven by an internal body clock and are essential for the organism to adapt to the daily cycle of light and dark. Circadian rhythms also take place inside individual cells – for example, the amount of a given protein in a cell often rises and falls over each 24-hour period.

To generate these daily fluctuations, the processes used to make proteins based on the instructions encoded within a gene must be carefully controlled. Genes are first copied or ‘transcribed' into intermediate molecules called messenger RNAs (mRNAs). These mRNA molecules must then travel out of the cell’s nucleus before they can be de-coded to produce proteins. This means that daily fluctuations in mRNA and protein levels could occur because the rate at which the DNA is transcribed fluctuates or because controlling the steps that occur after transcription. However it is not clear how much these post-transcriptional steps contribute to circadian rhythms inside cells.

Recently, structures called paraspeckles were seen inside the nucleus. These structures are made from a long RNA molecule that does not code for a protein, and a number of proteins that can bind mRNA molecules. Paraspeckles are thought to prevent certain mRNAs from leaving the nucleus and therefore stop them from being decoded to make proteins. Torres et al. have now investigated whether paraspeckles may play a role in circadian rhythms.

Torres et al. looked at the long non-coding RNA and several proteins that are known to be components of paraspeckles in cells taken from the pituitary glands of rats using a variety of techniques. These cells were chosen because they were known to have a working circadian clock. The analysis showed that the levels of these components, as well as the number of paraspeckles within the nucleus, changed over the course of a daily cycle.

Torres et al. then confirmed that mRNAs containing a sequence that is known to recruit mRNAs to paraspeckes (the IRAlu sequence) could be also retained in the nucleus or released with a circadian rhythm. This pattern was lost when the paraspeckles were disrupted.

These findings suggest that daily fluctuations in protein levels can be post-transcriptionally controlled by paraspeckles rhythmically retaining mRNAs in the nucleus. Future studies could explore whether it may be possible to control circadian rhythms by targeting the paraspeckles, which could help to improve conditions where the internal body clock goes wrong.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14837.002

Metabolic disturbances: role of the circadian timing system and sleep

The incidence of metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes is on the rise, and food quality is not alone to blame. Sleep disturbances, altered feeding time and circadian disruption are linked to metabolic disturbances in many clinical research studies and cross-sectional analyses. This review tried to summarize the role of the circadian timing system and sleep on energy and metabolic homeostasis. We also tried to explain the molecular and endocrine mechanisms behind circadian misalignment and sleep disorders that lead to metabolic disorders.

Circadian Clock Regulates Bone Resorption in Mice

The circadian clock controls many behavioral and physiological processes beyond daily rhythms. Circadian dysfunction increases the risk of cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Although clinical studies have shown that bone resorption is controlled by circadian rhythm, as indicated by diurnal variations in bone resorption, the molecular mechanism of circadian clock-dependent bone resorption remains unknown. To clarify the role of circadian rhythm in bone resorption, aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like (Bmal1), a prototype circadian gene, was knocked out specifically in osteoclasts. Osteoclast-specific Bmal1-knockout mice showed a high bone mass phenotype due to reduced osteoclast differentiation. A cell-based assay revealed that BMAL1 upregulated nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic, calcineurin-dependent 1 (Nfatc1) transcription through its binding to an E-box element located on the Nfatc1 promoter in cooperation with circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK), a heterodimer partner of BMAL1. Moreover, steroid receptor coactivator (SRC) family members were shown to interact with and upregulate BMAL1:CLOCK transcriptional activity. Collectively, these data suggest that bone resorption is controlled by osteoclastic BMAL1 through interactions with the SRC family and binding to the Nfatc1 promoter. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Negative reciprocal regulation between Sirt1 and Per2 modulates the circadian clock and aging

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is involved in both aging and circadian-clock regulation, yet the link between the two processes in relation to SIRT1 function is not clear. Using Sirt1-deficient mice, we found that Sirt1 and Period 2 (Per2) constitute a reciprocal negative regulation loop that plays important roles in modulating hepatic circadian rhythmicity and aging. Sirt1-deficient mice exhibited profound premature aging and enhanced acetylation of histone H4 on lysine16 (H4K16) in the promoter of Per2, the latter of which leads to its overexpression; in turn, Per2 suppresses Sirt1 transcription through binding to the Sirt1 promoter at the Clock/Bmal1 site. This negative reciprocal relationship between SIRT1 and PER2 was also observed in human hepatocytes. We further demonstrated that the absence of Sirt1 or the ectopic overexpression of Per2 in the liver resulted in a dysregulated pace of the circadian rhythm. The similar circadian rhythm was also observed in aged wild type mice. The interplay between Sirt1 and Per2 modulates aging gene expression and circadian-clock maintenance.

Life in a dark biosphere: a review of circadian physiology in "arrhythmic" environments

Most of the life with which humans interact is exposed to highly rhythmic and extremely predictable changes in illumination that occur with the daily events of sunrise and sunset. However, while the influence of the sun feels omnipotent to surface dwellers such as ourselves, life on earth is dominated, in terms of biomass, by organisms isolated from the direct effects of the sun. A limited understanding of what life is like away from the sun can be inferred from our knowledge of physiology and ecology in the light biosphere, but a full understanding can only be gained by studying animals from the dark biosphere, both in the laboratory and in their natural habitats. One of the least understood aspects of life in the dark biosphere is the rhythmicity of physiology and what it means to live in an environment of low or no rhythmicity. Here we describe methods that may be used to understand rhythmic physiology in the dark and summarise some of the studies of rhythmic physiology in "arrhythmic" environments, such as the poles, deep sea and caves. We review what can be understood about the adaptive value of rhythmic physiology on the Earth's surface from studies of animals from arrhythmic environments and what role a circadian clock may play in the dark.

Systematic analysis of circadian genes using genome-wide cDNA microarrays in the inflammatory bowel disease transcriptome

Simultaneous analysis of the transcripts of thousands of genes by cDNA microarrays allows the identification of genetic regulatory mechanisms involved in disease pathophysiology. The circadian clock circuitry controls essential cell processes and the functioning of organ systems, which are characterized by rhythmic variations with 24-hour periodicity. The derangement of these processes is involved in the basic mechanisms of inflammatory, metabolic, degenerative and neoplastic diseases. We evaluated by genome-wide cDNA microarray analysis the transcriptome of endoscopic mucosal biopsies of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) focusing on the expression of circadian genes in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Twenty-nine IBD patients (15 with CD and 14 with UC) were enrolled and mucosal biopsies were sampled at either inflamed or adjacent non-inflamed areas of the colon. A total of 150 circadian genes involved in pathways controlling crucial cell processes and tissue functions were investigated. In CD specimens 50 genes were differentially expressed, and 21 genes resulted up-regulated when compared to healthy colonic mucosa. In UC specimens 50 genes were differentially expressed, and 27 genes resulted up-regulated when compared to healthy colonic mucosa. Among the core clock genes ARNTL2 and RORA were up-regulated, while CSNK2B, NPAS2, PER1 and PER3 were down-regulated in CD specimens. Conversely, ARNTL2, CRY1, CSNK1E, RORA and TIPIN were up-regulated, while NR1D2 and PER3 were down-regulated in UC. In conclusion, in CD and UC patients there are differences in the expression of circadian genes between normal and diseased intestinal mucosa. The deregulated genes evidenced by transcriptome analysis in the major IBDs may play a crucial role in the pathophysiological mechanisms and may suggest novel therapeutic approaches.

Temporal regulation of proteome profile in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster

Background. Diurnal rhythms of protein synthesis controlled by the biological clock underlie the rhythmic physiology in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. In this study, we conducted a proteome-wide investigation of rhythmic protein accumulation in D. melanogaster.

Materials and Methods. Total protein collected from fly samples harvested at 4 h intervals over the 24 h period were subjected to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, trypsin digestion and MS/MS analysis. Protein spots/clusters were identified with MASCOT search engine and Swiss-Prot database. Expression of proteins was documented as percentage of volume contribution using the Image Master 2D Platinum software.

Results. A total of 124 protein spots/clusters were identified using MS/MS analysis. Significant variation in the expression of 88 proteins over the 24-h period was observed. A relatively higher number of proteins was upregulated during the night compared to the daytime. The complexity of temporal regulation of the D. melanogaster proteome was further reflected from functional annotations of the differently expressed proteins, with those that were upregulated at night being restricted to the heat shock proteins and proteins involved in metabolism, muscle activity, protein synthesis/folding/degradation and apoptosis, whilst those that were overexpressed in the daytime were apparently involved in metabolism, muscle activity, ion-channel/cellular transport, protein synthesis/folding/degradation, redox homeostasis, development and transcription.

Conclusion. Our data suggests that a wide range of proteins synthesized by the fruit fly, D. melanogaster, is under the regulation of the biological clock.

Combination of 5-aminolevulinic acid and ferrous ion reduces plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c levels in Zucker diabetic fatty rats

Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). 5‐Aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a natural amino acid produced only in the mitochondria, is a precursor of heme. Cytochromes that contain heme play an important role in aerobic energy metabolism. Thus, ALA may help reduce T2DM‐associated hyperglycemia. In this study, we investigated the effect of ALA combined with sodium ferrous citrate (SFC) on hyperglycemia in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. We found that the gavage administration of ALA combined with SFC (ALA/SFC) for 6 weeks reduced plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in rats without affecting plasma insulin levels. The glucose‐lowering effect depended on the amount of ALA/SFC administered per day. Furthermore, the glucose tolerance was also significantly improved by ALA/SFC administration. Although food intake was slightly reduced in the rats administered ALA/SFC, there was no effect on their body weight. Importantly, ALA/SFC administration induced heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) expression in white adipose tissue and liver, and the induced expression levels of HO‐1 correlated with the glucose‐lowering effects of ALA/SFC. Taken together, these results suggest that ALA combined with ferrous ion is effective in reducing hyperglycemia of T2DM without affecting plasma insulin levels. HO‐1 induction may be involved in the mechanisms underlying the glucose‐lowering effect of ALA/SFC.

Post-transcriptional control of the mammalian circadian clock: implications for health and disease

Many aspects of human physiology and behavior display rhythmicity with a period of approximately 24 h. Rhythmic changes are controlled by an endogenous time keeper, the circadian clock, and include sleep-wake cycles, physical and mental performance capability, blood pressure, and body temperature. Consequently, many diseases, such as metabolic, sleep, autoimmune and mental disorders and cancer, are connected to the circadian rhythm. The development of therapies that take circadian biology into account is thus a promising strategy to improve treatments of diverse disorders, ranging from allergic syndromes to cancer. Circadian alteration of body functions and behavior are, at the molecular level, controlled and mediated by widespread changes in gene expression that happen in anticipation of predictably changing requirements during the day. At the core of the molecular clockwork is a well-studied transcription-translation negative feedback loop. However, evidence is emerging that additional post-transcriptional, RNA-based mechanisms are required to maintain proper clock function. Here, we will discuss recent work implicating regulated mRNA stability, translation and alternative splicing in the control of the mammalian circadian clock, and its role in health and disease.

Perturbed rhythmic activation of signaling pathways in mice deficient for Sterol Carrier Protein 2-dependent diurnal lipid transport and metabolism

Through evolution, most of the living species have acquired a time keeping system to anticipate daily changes caused by the rotation of the Earth. In all of the systems this pacemaker is based on a molecular transcriptional/translational negative feedback loop able to generate rhythmic gene expression with a period close to 24 hours. Recent evidences suggest that post-transcriptional regulations activated mostly by systemic cues play a fundamental role in the process, fine tuning the time keeping system and linking it to animal physiology. Among these signals, we consider the role of lipid transport and metabolism regulated by SCP2. Mice harboring a deletion of the Scp2 locus present a modulated diurnal accumulation of lipids in the liver and a perturbed activation of several signaling pathways including PPARα, SREBP, LRH-1, TORC1 and its upstream regulators. This defect in signaling pathways activation feedbacks upon the clock by lengthening the circadian period of animals through post-translational regulation of core clock regulators, showing that rhythmic lipid transport is a major player in the establishment of rhythmic mRNA and protein expression landscape.

The Small Molecule Nobiletin Targets the Molecular Oscillator to Enhance Circadian Rhythms and Protect against Metabolic Syndrome

Dysregulation of circadian rhythms is associated with metabolic dysfunction, yet it is unclear whether enhancing clock function can ameliorate metabolic disorders. In an unbiased chemical screen using fibroblasts expressing PER2::Luc, we identified Nobiletin (NOB), a natural polymethoxylated flavone, as a clock amplitude-enhancing small molecule. When administered to diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, NOB strongly counteracted metabolic syndrome and augmented energy expenditure and locomotor activity in a Clock gene-dependent manner. In db/db mutant mice, the clock is also required for the mitigating effects of NOB on metabolic disorders. In DIO mouse liver, NOB enhanced clock protein levels and elicited pronounced gene expression remodeling. We identified retinoid acid receptor-related orphan receptors as direct targets of NOB, revealing a pharmacological intervention that enhances circadian rhythms to combat metabolic disease via the circadian gene network.

Quantitative Systems Pharmacology: A Framework for Context

Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP) is receiving increased attention. As the momentum builds and the expectations grow it is important to (re)assess and formalize the basic concepts and approaches. In this short review, I argue that QSP, in addition to enabling the rational integration of data and development of complex models, maybe more importantly, provides the foundations for developing an integrated framework for the assessment of drugs and their impact on disease within a broader context expanding the envelope to account in great detail for physiology, environment and prior history. I articulate some of the critical enablers, major obstacles and exciting opportunities manifesting themselves along the way. Charting such overarching themes will enable practitioners to identify major and defining factors as the field progressively moves towards personalized and precision health care delivery.

Basal mTORC2 activity and expression of its components display diurnal variation in mouse perivascular adipose tissue

In adipose tissue mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2) contributes to the regulation of glucose/lipid metabolism and inflammatory molecule expression. Both processes display diurnal variations during the course of the day. RICTOR and mSIN1 are unique and essential components of mTORC2, which is activated by growth factors including insulin. To assess whether mTORC2 components display diurnal variations, we analyzed steady state mRNA expression levels of Rictor, mSin1, and mTor in various adipose tissues during a 24 h period. Diurnally regulated expression of Rictor was detected in brown adipose tissues displaying highest mRNA expression levels at the beginning of the 12 h light period (zeitgeber time 2, ZT2). Gene expression patterns of mSin1 and mTor displayed a similar diurnal regulation as Rictor in PVAT while smaller changes were detected for these genes in aorta during the course of the day. Basal mTORC2 activity was measured by phosphorylation of protein kinase C (PKC) α at serine 657 was higher at ZT14 as compared with ZT2 in PVAT. In line, gene expression of inflammatory molecules nitric oxide synthase 2 and tumor necrosis factor α was lower at ZT 14 compared to ZT2. Our findings provide evidence for a diurnal regulation of expression of mTORC2 components and activity. Hence, mTORC2 is possibly an integral part of diurnally regulated signaling pathways in PVAT and possibly in other adipose tissues.

Temporally chimeric mice reveal flexibility of circadian period-setting in the suprachiasmatic nucleus

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the principal circadian clock of the mammalian brain. To function effectively, SCN neurons must operate as a synchronized circuit. How cell-autonomous and circuit-level circadian mechanisms interact to achieve this is unclear. Here, we used intersectional genetics to create temporally chimeric mice where both 24-h and 20-h clock neurons were present in the SCN, in different cell populations. The 24-h dopamine receptor-positive cells set the speed of the SCN, imposing their cell-autonomous 24-h period on all cells in the circuit. Exposure to a 20-h lighting cycle, however, inverted this dominance, reprograming the circuit to 20 h. These results show how robust circuit-level signaling underlies complex, nonlinear computations of circadian period that also exhibit a remarkable level of plasticity.

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the master circadian clock controlling daily behavior in mammals. It consists of a heterogeneous network of neurons, in which cell-autonomous molecular feedback loops determine the period and amplitude of circadian oscillations of individual cells. In contrast, circuit-level properties of coherence, synchrony, and ensemble period are determined by intercellular signals and are embodied in a circadian wave of gene expression that progresses daily across the SCN. How cell-autonomous and circuit-level mechanisms interact in timekeeping is poorly understood. To explore this interaction, we used intersectional genetics to create temporally chimeric mice with SCN containing dopamine 1a receptor (Drd1a) cells with an intrinsic period of 24 h alongside non-Drd1a cells with 20-h clocks. Recording of circadian behavior in vivo alongside cellular molecular pacemaking in SCN slices in vitro demonstrated that such chimeric circuits form robust and resilient circadian clocks. It also showed that the computation of ensemble period is nonlinear. Moreover, the chimeric circuit sustained a wave of gene expression comparable to that of nonchimeric SCN, demonstrating that this circuit-level property is independent of differences in cell-intrinsic periods. The relative dominance of 24-h Drd1a and 20-h non-Drd1a neurons in setting ensemble period could be switched by exposure to resonant or nonresonant 24-h or 20-h lighting cycles. The chimeric circuit therefore reveals unanticipated principles of circuit-level operation underlying the emergent plasticity, resilience, and robustness of the SCN clock. The spontaneous and light-driven flexibility of period observed in chimeric mice provides a new perspective on the concept of SCN pacemaker cells.

Circadian Clock Control of Liver Metabolic Functions

The circadian clock is an endogenous biological timekeeping system that synchronizes physiology and behavior to day/night cycles. A wide variety of processes throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract and notably the liver appear to be under circadian control. These include various metabolic functions such as nutrient uptake, processing, and detoxification, which align organ function to cycle with nutrient supply and demand. Remarkably, genetic or environmental disruption of the circadian clock can cause metabolic diseases or exacerbate pathological states. In addition, modern lifestyles force more and more people worldwide into asynchrony between the external time and their circadian clock, resulting in a constant state of social jetlag. Recent evidence indicates that interactions between altered energy metabolism and disruptions in the circadian clock create a downward spiral that can lead to diabetes and other metabolic diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of rhythmic processes in the liver and highlight the functions of circadian clock genes under physiological and pathological conditions; we focus on their roles in regulation of hepatic glucose as well as lipid and bile acid metabolism and detoxification and their potential effects on the development of fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

The Liver in the Eyes of a Chronobiologist

Our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of the mammalian circadian oscillator and its tight connection to physiology has progressed tremendously during the past decades. The liver is considered the prototypic experimental model tissue for circadian research in peripheral organs. Studies on liver clocks have been highly productive and yielded information about widely different aspects of circadian biology. The liver, as one of the largest organs in the body, has often been used for the identification of core clock and auxiliary clock components, for example, by biochemical purifications. Because the liver is also a major metabolic hub, studies addressing the interplay between circadian clocks and metabolism have been insightful. In addition, the use of liver-specific loss-of-function models for clock components highlighted not only specific physiological roles of the hepatic clock but also its interplay with systemic cues and oscillators in other organs. Recently, technological advances in omics approaches have been successfully applied on the liver, providing a comprehensive depiction of pervasive circadian control of gene expression and protein and metabolite accumulation. In this review, we chose to illuminate specific examples that demonstrate how different experimental approaches--namely, biochemical, metabolic, genetic, and omics methodologies--have advanced our knowledge regarding circadian liver biology and chronobiology in general.

Evolving roles of circadian rhythms in liver homeostasis and pathology

Circadian clock in mammals is determined by a core oscillator in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus and synchronized peripheral clocks in other tissues. The coherent timing systems could sustain robust output of circadian rhythms in response to the entrainment controlled environmentally. Disparate approaches have discovered that clock genes and clock-controlled genes (CCGs) exist in nearly all mammalian cell types and are essential for establishing the mechanisms and complexity of internal time-keeping systems. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that the control of homeostasis and pathology in the liver involves intricate loops of transcriptional and post-translational regulation of clock genes expression. This review will focus on the recent advances with great importance concerning clock rhythms linking liver homeostasis and diseases. We particularly highlight what is currently known of the evolving insights into the mechanisms underlying circadian clock . Eventually , findings during recent years in the field might prompt new circadian-related chronotherapeutic strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases by coupling these processes.

Hepatic circadian clock oscillators and nuclear receptors integrate microbiome-derived signals

The liver is a key organ of metabolic homeostasis with functions that oscillate in response to food intake. Although liver and gut microbiome crosstalk has been reported, microbiome-mediated effects on peripheral circadian clocks and their output genes are less well known. Here, we report that germ-free (GF) mice display altered daily oscillation of clock gene expression with a concomitant change in the expression of clock output regulators. Mice exposed to microbes typically exhibit characterized activities of nuclear receptors, some of which (PPARα, LXRβ) regulate specific liver gene expression networks, but these activities are profoundly changed in GF mice. These alterations in microbiome-sensitive gene expression patterns are associated with daily alterations in lipid, glucose, and xenobiotic metabolism, protein turnover, and redox balance, as revealed by hepatic metabolome analyses. Moreover, at the systemic level, daily changes in the abundance of biomarkers such as HDL cholesterol, free fatty acids, FGF21, bilirubin, and lactate depend on the microbiome. Altogether, our results indicate that the microbiome is required for integration of liver clock oscillations that tune output activators and their effectors, thereby regulating metabolic gene expression for optimal liver function.

Cross-talk between circadian clocks, sleep-wake cycles, and metabolic networks: Dispelling the darkness

Integration of knowledge concerning circadian rhythms, metabolic networks, and sleep‐wake cycles is imperative for unraveling the mysteries of biological cycles and their underlying mechanisms. During the last decade, enormous progress in circadian biology research has provided a plethora of new insights into the molecular architecture of circadian clocks. However, the recent identification of autonomous redox oscillations in cells has expanded our view of the clockwork beyond conventional transcription/translation feedback loop models, which have been dominant since the first circadian period mutants were identified in fruit fly. Consequently, non‐transcriptional timekeeping mechanisms have been proposed, and the antioxidant peroxiredoxin proteins have been identified as conserved markers for 24‐hour rhythms. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of interdependencies amongst circadian rhythms, sleep homeostasis, redox cycles, and other cellular metabolic networks. We speculate that systems‐level investigations implementing integrated multi‐omics approaches could provide novel mechanistic insights into the connectivity between daily cycles and metabolic systems.

Circadian control of oscillations in mitochondrial rate-limiting enzymes and nutrient utilization by PERIOD proteins

Mitochondria are major suppliers of cellular energy through nutrients oxidation. Little is known about the mechanisms that enable mitochondria to cope with changes in nutrient supply and energy demand that naturally occur throughout the day. To address this question, we applied MS-based quantitative proteomics on isolated mitochondria from mice killed throughout the day and identified extensive oscillations in the mitochondrial proteome. Remarkably, the majority of cycling mitochondrial proteins peaked during the early light phase. We found that rate-limiting mitochondrial enzymes that process lipids and carbohydrates accumulate in a diurnal manner and are dependent on the clock proteins PER1/2. In this conjuncture, we uncovered daily oscillations in mitochondrial respiration that peak during different times of the day in response to different nutrients. Notably, the diurnal regulation of mitochondrial respiration was blunted in mice lacking PER1/2 or on a high-fat diet. We propose that PERIOD proteins optimize mitochondrial metabolism to daily changes in energy supply/demand and thereby, serve as a rheostat for mitochondrial nutrient utilization.

Daily Eating Patterns and Their Impact on Health and Disease

Cyclical expression of cell-autonomous circadian clock components and key metabolic regulators coordinate often discordant and distant cellular processes for efficient metabolism. Perturbation of these cycles, either by genetic manipulation, disruption of light/dark cycles, or, most relevant to the human population, via eating patterns, contributes to obesity and dysmetabolism. Time-restricted feeding (TRF), during which time of access to food is restricted to a few hours, without caloric restriction, supports robust metabolic cycles and protects against nutritional challenges that predispose to obesity and dysmetabolism. The mechanism by which TRF imparts its benefits is not fully understood but likely involves entrainment of metabolically active organs through gut signaling. Understanding the relationship of feeding pattern and metabolism could yield novel therapies for the obesity pandemic.

Photoperiodic and Diurnal Regulation of WNT Signaling in the Arcuate Nucleus of the Female Djungarian Hamster, Phodopus sungorus

The WNT pathway was shown to play an important role in the adult central nervous system. We previously identified the WNT pathway as a novel integration site of the adipokine leptin in mediating its neuroendocrine control of metabolism in obese mice. Here we investigated the implication of WNT signaling in seasonal body weight regulation exhibited by the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus), a seasonal mammal that exhibits profound annual changes in leptin sensitivity. We furthermore investigated whether crucial components of the WNT pathway are regulated in a diurnal manner. Gene expression of key components of the WNT pathway in the hypothalamus of hamsters acclimated to either long day (LD) or short day (SD) photoperiod was analyzed by in situ hybridization. We detected elevated expression of the genes WNT-4, Axin-2, Cyclin-D1, and SFRP-2, in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, a key energy balance integration site, during LD compared with SD as well as a diurnal regulation of Axin-2, Cyclin-D1, and DKK-3. Investigating the effect of photoperiod as well as leptin on the activation (phosphorylation) of the WNT coreceptor LRP-6-(Ser1490) by immunohistochemistry, we found elevated activity in the arcuate nucleus during LD relative to SD as well as after leptin treatment (2 mg/kg body weight). These findings indicate that differential WNT signaling may be associated with seasonal body weight regulation and is partially regulated in a diurnal manner in the adult brain. Furthermore, they suggest that this pathway plays a key role in the neuroendocrine regulation of body weight and integration of the leptin signal.

High-Fat Diet and Palmitate Alter the Rhythmic Secretion of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 by the Rodent L-cell

Secretion of the incretin hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), by the intestinal L-cell is rhythmically regulated by an independent molecular clock. However, the impact of factors known to affect the activity of similar cell-autonomous clocks, such as circulating glucocorticoids and high-fat feeding, on GLP-1 secretory patterns remains to be elucidated. Herein the role of the endogenous corticosterone rhythm on the pattern of GLP-1 and insulin nutrient-induced responses was examined in corticosterone pellet-implanted rats. Moreover, the impact of nutrient excess on the time-dependent secretion of both hormones was assessed in rats fed a high-fat, high-sucrose diet. Finally, the effects of the saturated fatty acid, palmitate, on the L-cell molecular clock and GLP-1 secretion were investigated in vitro using murine GLUTag L-cells. Diurnal variations in GLP-1 and insulin nutrient-induced responses were maintained in animals lacking an endogenous corticosterone rhythm, suggesting that glucocorticoids are not the predominant entrainment factor for L-cell rhythmic activity. In addition to hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and disorganization of feeding behavior, high-fat high-sucrose-fed rats showed a total abrogation of the diurnal variation in GLP-1 and insulin nutrient-induced responses, with comparable levels of both hormones at the normal peak (5:00 pm) and trough (5:00 am) of their daily pattern. Finally, palmitate incubation induced profound derangements in the rhythmic expression of circadian oscillators in GLUTag L-cells and severely impaired the secretory activity of these cells. Collectively our findings demonstrate that obesogenic diets disrupt the rhythmic activity of the L-cell, partially through a direct effect of specific nutritional components.

Glucose Alters Per2 Rhythmicity Independent of AMPK, Whereas AMPK Inhibitor Compound C Causes Profound Repression of Clock Genes and AgRP in mHypoE-37 Hypothalamic Neurons

Specific neurons in the hypothalamus are regulated by peripheral hormones and nutrients to maintain proper metabolic control. It is unclear if nutrients can directly control clock gene expression. We have therefore utilized the immortalized, hypothalamic cell line mHypoE-37, which exhibits robust circadian rhythms of core clock genes. mHypoE-37 neurons were exposed to 0.5 or 5.5 mM glucose, comparable to physiological levels in the brain. Per2 and Bmal1 mRNAs were assessed every 3 hours over 36 hours. Incubation with 5.5 mM glucose significantly shortened the period and delayed the phase of Per2 mRNA levels, but had no effect on Bmal1. Glucose had no significant effect on phospho-GSK3β, whereas AMPK phosphorylation was altered. Thus, the AMPK inhibitor Compound C was utilized, and mRNA levels of Per2, Bmal1, Cryptochrome1 (Cry1), agouti-related peptide (AgRP), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1C (Cpt1c), and O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (Ogt) were measured. Remarkably, Compound C dramatically reduced transcript levels of Per2, Bmal1, Cry1, and AgRP, but not Cpt1c or Ogt. Because AMPK was not inhibited at the same time or concentrations as the clock genes, we suggest that the effect of Compound C on gene expression occurs through an AMPK-independent mechanism. The consequences of inhibition of the rhythmic expression of clock genes, and in turn downstream metabolic mediators, such as AgRP, could have detrimental effects on overall metabolic processes. Importantly, the effects of the most commonly used AMPK inhibitor Compound C should be interpreted with caution, considering its role in AMPK-independent repression of specific genes, and especially clock gene rhythm dysregulation.

Versatile function of the circadian protein CIPC as a regulator of Erk activation

The CLOCK-interacting protein, Circadian (CIPC), has been identified as an additional negative-feedback regulator of the circadian clock. However, recent study on CIPC knockout mice has shown that CIPC is not critically required for basic circadian clock function, suggesting other unknown biological roles for CIPC. In this study, we focused on the cell cycle dependent nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling function of CIPC and on identifying its binding proteins. Lys186 and 187 were identified as the essential amino acid residues within the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of CIPC. We identified CIPC-binding proteins such as the multifunctional enzyme CAD protein (carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase), which is a key enzyme for de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Compared to control cells, HEK293 cells overexpressing wild-type CIPC showed suppressed cell proliferation and retardation of cell cycle. We also found that PMA-induced Erk activation was inhibited with expression of wild-type CIPC. In contrast, the NLS mutant of CIPC, which reduced the ability of CIPC to translocate into the nucleus, did not exhibit these biological effects. Since CAD and Erk have significant roles in cell proliferation and cell cycle, CIPC may work as a cell cycle regulator by interacting with these binding proteins.

The two-process model of sleep regulation: a reappraisal

In the last three decades the two-process model of sleep regulation has served as a major conceptual framework in sleep research. It has been applied widely in studies on fatigue and performance and to dissect individual differences in sleep regulation. The model posits that a homeostatic process (Process S) interacts with a process controlled by the circadian pacemaker (Process C), with time-courses derived from physiological and behavioural variables. The model simulates successfully the timing and intensity of sleep in diverse experimental protocols. Electrophysiological recordings from the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) suggest that S and C interact continuously. Oscillators outside the SCN that are linked to energy metabolism are evident in SCN-lesioned arrhythmic animals subjected to restricted feeding or methamphetamine administration, as well as in human subjects during internal desynchronization. In intact animals these peripheral oscillators may dissociate from the central pacemaker rhythm. A sleep/fast and wake/feed phase segregate antagonistic anabolic and catabolic metabolic processes in peripheral tissues. A deficiency of Process S was proposed to account for both depressive sleep disturbances and the antidepressant effect of sleep deprivation. The model supported the development of novel non-pharmacological treatment paradigms in psychiatry, based on manipulating circadian phase, sleep and light exposure. In conclusion, the model remains conceptually useful for promoting the integration of sleep and circadian rhythm research. Sleep appears to have not only a short-term, use-dependent function; it also serves to enforce rest and fasting, thereby supporting the optimization of metabolic processes at the appropriate phase of the 24-h cycle.

The Circadian Nature of Mitochondrial Biology

Circadian clocks orchestrate the daily changes in physiology and behavior of light-sensitive organisms. These clocks measure about 24 h and tick in a self-sustained and cell-autonomous manner. Mounting evidence points toward a tight intertwining between circadian clocks and metabolism. Although various aspects of circadian control of metabolic functions have been extensively studied, our knowledge regarding circadian mitochondrial function is rudimentary. In this review, we will survey the current literature related to the circadian nature of mitochondrial biology: from mitochondrial omics studies (e.g., proteome, acetylome, and lipidome), through dissection of mitochondrial morphology, to analyses of mitochondrial processes such as nutrient utilization and respiration. We will describe potential mechanisms that are implicated in circadian regulation of mitochondrial functions in mammals and discuss the possibility of a mitochondrial-autonomous oscillator.

Reciprocal Control of the Circadian Clock and Cellular Redox State - a Critical Appraisal

Redox signalling comprises the biology of molecular signal transduction mediated by reactive oxygen (or nitrogen) species. By specific and reversible oxidation of redox-sensitive cysteines, many biological processes sense and respond to signals from the intracellular redox environment. Redox signals are therefore important regulators of cellular homeostasis. Recently, it has become apparent that the cellular redox state oscillates in vivo and in vitro, with a period of about one day (circadian). Circadian time-keeping allows cells and organisms to adapt their biology to resonate with the 24-hour cycle of day/night. The importance of this innate biological time-keeping is illustrated by the association of clock disruption with the early onset of several diseases (e.g. type II diabetes, stroke and several forms of cancer). Circadian regulation of cellular redox balance suggests potentially two distinct roles for redox signalling in relation to the cellular clock: one where it is regulated by the clock, and one where it regulates the clock. Here, we introduce the concepts of redox signalling and cellular timekeeping, and then critically appraise the evidence for the reciprocal regulation between cellular redox state and the circadian clock. We conclude there is a substantial body of evidence supporting circadian regulation of cellular redox state, but that it would be premature to conclude that the converse is also true. We therefore propose some approaches that might yield more insight into redox control of cellular timekeeping.

Circadian regulation of metabolic homeostasis: causes and consequences

Robust circadian rhythms in metabolic processes have been described in both humans and animal models, at the whole body, individual organ, and even cellular level. Classically, these time-of-day-dependent rhythms have been considered secondary to fluctuations in energy/nutrient supply/demand associated with feeding/fasting and wake/sleep cycles. Renewed interest in this field has been fueled by studies revealing that these rhythms are driven, at least in part, by intrinsic mechanisms and that disruption of metabolic synchrony invariably increases the risk of cardiometabolic disease. The objectives of this paper are to provide a comprehensive review regarding rhythms in glucose, lipid, and protein/amino acid metabolism, the relative influence of extrinsic (eg, neurohumoral factors) versus intrinsic (eg, cell autonomous circadian clocks) mediators, the physiologic roles of these rhythms in terms of daily fluctuations in nutrient availability and activity status, as well as the pathologic consequences of dyssynchrony.

Retinoic Acid-Related Orphan Receptors (RORs): Regulatory Functions in Immunity, Development, Circadian Rhythm, and Metabolism

In this overview, we provide an update on recent progress made in understanding the mechanisms of action, physiological functions, and roles in disease of retinoic acid related orphan receptors (RORs). We are particularly focusing on their roles in the regulation of adaptive and innate immunity, brain function, retinal development, cancer, glucose and lipid metabolism, circadian rhythm, metabolic and inflammatory diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders. We also summarize the current status of ROR agonists and inverse agonists, including their regulation of ROR activity and their therapeutic potential for management of various diseases in which RORs have been implicated.

Coactivator-Dependent Oscillation of Chromatin Accessibility Dictates Circadian Gene Amplitude via REV-ERB Loading

A central mechanism for controlling circadian gene amplitude remains elusive. We present evidence for a "facilitated repression (FR)" model that functions as an amplitude rheostat for circadian gene oscillation. We demonstrate that ROR and/or BMAL1 promote global chromatin decondensation during the activation phase of the circadian cycle to actively facilitate REV-ERB loading for repression of circadian gene expression. Mechanistically, we found that SRC-2 dictates global circadian chromatin remodeling through spatial and temporal recruitment of PBAF members of the SWI/SNF complex to facilitate loading of REV-ERB in the hepatic genome. Mathematical modeling highlights how the FR model sustains proper circadian rhythm despite fluctuations of REV-ERB levels. Our study not only reveals a mechanism for active communication between the positive and negative limbs of the circadian transcriptional loop but also establishes the concept that clock transcription factor binding dynamics is perhaps a central tenet for fine-tuning circadian rhythm.

Shifting the feeding of mice to the rest phase creates metabolic alterations, which, on their own, shift the peripheral circadian clocks by 12 hours

The molecular mechanisms underlying the events through which alterations in diurnal activities impinge on peripheral circadian clocks (PCCs), and reciprocally how the PCCs affect metabolism, thereby generating pathologies, are still poorly understood. Here, we deciphered how switching the diurnal feeding from the active to the rest phase, i.e., restricted feeding (RF), immediately creates a hypoinsulinemia during the active phase, which initiates a metabolic reprogramming by increasing FFA and glucagon levels. In turn, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) activation by free fatty acid (FFA), and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) activation by glucagon, lead to further metabolic alterations during the circadian active phase, as well as to aberrant activation of expression of the PCC components nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group D, member 1 (Nr1d1/RevErbα), Period (Per1 and Per2). Moreover, hypoinsulinemia leads to an increase in glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) activity that, through phosphorylation, stabilizes and increases the level of the RevErbα protein during the active phase. This increase then leads to an untimely repression of expression of the genes containing a RORE DNA binding sequence (DBS), including the Bmal1 gene, thereby initiating in RF mice a 12-h PCC shift to which the CREB-mediated activation of Per1, Per2 by glucagon modestly contributes. We also show that the reported corticosterone extraproduction during the RF active phase reflects an adrenal aberrant activation of CREB signaling, which selectively delays the activation of the PPARα-RevErbα axis in muscle and heart and accounts for the retarded shift of their PCCs.

MYC Disrupts the Circadian Clock and Metabolism in Cancer Cells

The MYC oncogene encodes MYC, a transcription factor that binds the genome through sites termed E-boxes (5'-CACGTG-3'), which are identical to the binding sites of the heterodimeric CLOCK-BMAL1 master circadian transcription factor. Hence, we hypothesized that ectopic MYC expression perturbs the clock by deregulating E-box-driven components of the circadian network in cancer cells. We report here that deregulated expression of MYC or N-MYC disrupts the molecular clock in vitro by directly inducing REV-ERBα to dampen expression and oscillation of BMAL1, and this could be rescued by knockdown of REV-ERB. REV-ERBα expression predicts poor clinical outcome for N-MYC-driven human neuroblastomas that have diminished BMAL1 expression, and re-expression of ectopic BMAL1 in neuroblastoma cell lines suppresses their clonogenicity. Further, ectopic MYC profoundly alters oscillation of glucose metabolism and perturbs glutaminolysis. Our results demonstrate an unsuspected link between oncogenic transformation and circadian and metabolic dysrhythmia, which we surmise to be advantageous for cancer.

Sleep Disruption and Daytime Sleepiness Correlating with Disease Severity and Insulin Resistance in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Comparison with Healthy Controls

Background & Aims

Sleep disturbance is associated with the development of obesity, diabetes and hepatic steatosis in murine models. Hepatic triglyceride accumulation oscillates in a circadian rhythm regulated by clock genes, light-dark cycle and feeding time in mice. The role of the sleep-wake cycle in the pathogenesis of human non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is indeterminate. We sought to detail sleep characteristics, daytime sleepiness and meal times in relation to disease severity in patients with NAFLD.

Methods

Basic Sleep duration and latency, daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale), Pittsburgh sleep quality index, positive and negative affect scale, Munich Chronotype Questionnaire and an eating habit questionnaire were assessed in 46 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 22 healthy controls, and correlated with biochemical and histological parameters.

Results

In NAFLD compared to healthy controls, time to fall asleep was vastly prolonged (26.9 vs. 9.8 min., p = 0.0176) and sleep duration was shortened (6.3 vs. 7.2 hours, p = 0.0149). Sleep quality was poor (Pittsburgh sleep quality index 8.2 vs. 4.7, p = 0.0074) and correlated with changes in affect. Meal frequency was shifted towards night-times (p = 0.001). In NAFLD but not controls, daytime sleepiness significantly correlated with liver enzymes (ALAT [r = 0.44, p = 0.0029], ASAT [r = 0.46, p = 0.0017]) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR [r = 0.5, p = 0.0009]) independent of cirrhosis. In patients with fibrosis, daytime sleepiness correlated with the degree of fibrosis (r = 0.364, p = 0.019).

Conclusions

In NAFLD sleep duration was shortened, sleep onset was delayed and sleep quality poor. Food-intake was shifted towards the night. Daytime sleepiness was positively linked to biochemical and histologic surrogates of disease severity. The data may indicate a role for sleep-wake cycle regulation and timing of food-intake in the pathogenesis of human NAFLD as suggested from murine models.

Shifting eating to the circadian rest phase misaligns the peripheral clocks with the master SCN clock and leads to a metabolic syndrome

The light-entrained master central circadian clock (CC) located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) not only controls the diurnal alternance of the active phase (the light period of the human light-dark cycle, but the mouse dark period) and the rest phase (the human dark period, but the mouse light period), but also synchronizes the ubiquitous peripheral CCs (PCCs) with these phases to maintain homeostasis. We recently elucidated in mice the molecular signals through which metabolic alterations induced on an unusual feeding schedule, taking place during the rest phase [i.e., restricted feeding (RF)], creates a 12-h PCC shift. Importantly, a previous study showed that the SCN CC is unaltered during RF, which creates a misalignment between the RF-shifted PCCs and the SCN CC-controlled phases of activity and rest. However, the molecular basis of SCN CC insensitivity to RF and its possible pathological consequences are mostly unknown. Here we deciphered, at the molecular level, how RF creates this misalignment. We demonstrate that the PPARα and glucagon receptors, the two instrumental transducers in the RF-induced shift of PCCs, are not expressed in the SCN, thereby preventing on RF a shift of the master SCN CC and creating the misalignment. Most importantly, this RF-induced misalignment leads to a misexpression (with respect to their normal physiological phase of expression) of numerous CC-controlled homeostatic genes, which in the long term generates in RF mice a number of metabolic pathologies including diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, which have been reported in humans engaged in shift work schedules.