1
|
González-Vila A, Luengo-Mateos M, Silveira-Loureiro M, Garrido-Gil P, Ohinska N, González-Domínguez M, Labandeira-García JL, García-Cáceres C, López M, Barca-Mayo O. Astrocytic insulin receptor controls circadian behavior via dopamine signaling in a sexually dimorphic manner. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8175. [PMID: 38071352 PMCID: PMC10710518 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44039-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian circadian clocks respond to feeding and light cues, adjusting internal rhythms with day/night cycles. Astrocytes serve as circadian timekeepers, driving daily physiological rhythms; however, it's unknown how they ensure precise cycle-to-cycle rhythmicity. This is critical for understanding why mistimed or erratic feeding, as in shift work, disrupts circadian physiology- a condition linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity. Here, we show that astrocytic insulin signaling sets the free-running period of locomotor activity in female mice and food entrainment in male mice. Additionally, ablating the insulin receptor in hypothalamic astrocytes alters cyclic energy homeostasis differently in male and female mice. Remarkably, the mutants exhibit altered dopamine metabolism, and the pharmacological modulation of dopaminergic signaling partially restores distinct circadian traits in both male and female mutant mice. Our findings highlight the role of astrocytic insulin-dopaminergic signaling in conveying time-of-feeding or lighting cues to the astrocyte clock, thus governing circadian behavior in a sex-specific manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antía González-Vila
- Circadian and Glial Biology Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- NeurObesity Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - María Luengo-Mateos
- Circadian and Glial Biology Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - María Silveira-Loureiro
- Circadian and Glial Biology Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- NeurObesity Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Pablo Garrido-Gil
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology of Parkinson's Disease, Department of Morphological Science, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nataliia Ohinska
- Circadian and Glial Biology Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Marco González-Domínguez
- Circadian and Glial Biology Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Jose Luis Labandeira-García
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology of Parkinson's Disease, Department of Morphological Science, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina García-Cáceres
- Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Munich & German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Miguel López
- NeurObesity Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Olga Barca-Mayo
- Circadian and Glial Biology Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yao ZM, Sun XR, Huang J, Chen L, Dong SY. Astrocyte-Neuronal Communication and Its Role in Stroke. Neurochem Res 2023; 48:2996-3006. [PMID: 37329448 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-023-03966-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system. These cells are an important hub for intercellular communication. They participate in various pathophysiological processes, including synaptogenesis, metabolic transformation, scar production, and blood-brain barrier repair. The mechanisms and functional consequences of astrocyte-neuron signaling are more complex than previously thought. Stroke is a disease associated with neurons in which astrocytes also play an important role. Astrocytes respond to the alterations in the brain microenvironment after stroke, providing required substances to neurons. However, they can also have harmful effects. In this review, we have summarized the function of astrocytes, their association with neurons, and two paradigms of the inflammatory response, which suggest that targeting astrocytes may be an effective strategy for treating stroke.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Meng Yao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao-Rong Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Shu-Ying Dong
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China.
- Bengbu Medical College Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Bengbu, Anhui, China.
- Anhui Engineering Technology Research Center of Biochemical Pharmaceutical, Bengbu, Anhui, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Giantomasi L, Ribeiro JF, Barca-Mayo O, Malerba M, Miele E, De Pietri Tonelli D, Berdondini L. Astrocytes actively support long-range molecular clock synchronization of segregated neuronal populations. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4815. [PMID: 36964220 PMCID: PMC10038999 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31966-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus is the master circadian pacemaker that synchronizes the clocks in the central nervous system and periphery, thus orchestrating rhythms throughout the body. However, little is known about how so many cellular clocks within and across brain circuits can be effectively synchronized. In this work, we investigated the implication of two possible pathways: (i) astrocytes-mediated synchronization and (ii) neuronal paracrine factors-mediated synchronization. By taking advantage of a lab-on-a-chip microfluidic device developed in our laboratory, here we report that both pathways are involved. We found the paracrine factors-mediated synchronization of molecular clocks is diffusion-limited and, in our device, effective only in case of a short distance between neuronal populations. Interestingly, interconnecting astrocytes define an active signaling channel that can synchronize molecular clocks of neuronal populations also at longer distances. At mechanism level, we found that astrocytes-mediated synchronization involves both GABA and glutamate, while neuronal paracrine factors-mediated synchronization occurs through GABA signaling. These findings identify a previously unknown role of astrocytes as active cells that might distribute long-range signals to synchronize the brain clocks, thus further strengthening the importance of reciprocal interactions between glial and neuronal cells in the context of circadian circuitry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Giantomasi
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics, Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - João F Ribeiro
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics, Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Olga Barca-Mayo
- Neurobiology of miRNA, Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), 16163, Genova, Italy
- Circadian and Glial Biology Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine, and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Mario Malerba
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics, Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), 16163, Genova, Italy
- Centre de Nanosciences et de Nanotechnologies (C2N), CNRS UMR 9001, Université Paris-Saclay, 91120, Palaiseau, France
| | - Ermanno Miele
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics, Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), 16163, Genova, Italy
- NanoPhotonics Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Luca Berdondini
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics, Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), 16163, Genova, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
Visual information processing in the retina requires the rhythmic expression of clock genes. The intrinsic retinal circadian clock is independent of the master clock located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus and emerges from retinal cells, including glia. Less clear is how glial oscillators influence the daily regulation of visual information processing in the mouse retina. Here, we demonstrate that the adult conditional deletion of the gene Bmal1 in GLAST-positive glial cells alters retinal physiology. Specifically, such deletion was sufficient to lower the amplitude of the electroretinogram b-wave recorded under light-adapted conditions. Furthermore, recordings from > 20,000 retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the retina output, showed a non-uniform effect on RGCs activity in response to light across different cell types and over a 24-h period. Overall, our results suggest a new role of a glial circadian gene in adjusting mammalian retinal output throughout the night-day cycle.
Collapse
|
5
|
Circadian regulation of memory under stress: Endocannabinoids matter. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104712. [PMID: 35643119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Organisms ranging from plants to higher mammals have developed 24-hour oscillation rhythms to optimize physiology to environmental changes and regulate a plethora of neuroendocrine and behavioral processes, including neurotransmitter and hormone regulation, stress response and learning and memory function. Compelling evidence indicates that a wide array of memory processes is strongly influenced by stress- and emotional arousal-activated neurobiological systems, including the endocannabinoid system which has been extensively shown to play an integral role in mediating stress effects on memory. Here, we review findings showing how circadian rhythms and time-of-day influence stress systems and memory performance. We report evidence of circadian regulation of memory under stress, focusing on the role of the endocannabinoid system and highlighting its circadian rhythmicity. Our discussion illustrates how the endocannabinoid system mediates stress effects on memory in a circadian-dependent fashion. We suggest that endocannabinoids might regulate molecular mechanisms that control memory function under circadian and stress influence, with potential important clinical implications for both neurodevelopmental disorders and psychiatric conditions involving memory impairments.
Collapse
|
6
|
Rapid-acting antidepressants and the circadian clock. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:805-816. [PMID: 34837078 PMCID: PMC8626287 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01241-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A growing number of epidemiological and experimental studies has established that circadian disruption is strongly associated with psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). This association is becoming increasingly relevant considering that modern lifestyles, social zeitgebers (time cues) and genetic variants contribute to disrupting circadian rhythms that may lead to psychiatric disorders. Circadian abnormalities associated with MDD include dysregulated rhythms of sleep, temperature, hormonal secretions, and mood which are modulated by the molecular clock. Rapid-acting antidepressants such as subanesthetic ketamine and sleep deprivation therapy can improve symptoms within 24 h in a subset of depressed patients, in striking contrast to conventional treatments, which generally require weeks for a full clinical response. Importantly, animal data show that sleep deprivation and ketamine have overlapping effects on clock gene expression. Furthermore, emerging data implicate the circadian system as a critical component involved in rapid antidepressant responses via several intracellular signaling pathways such as GSK3β, mTOR, MAPK, and NOTCH to initiate synaptic plasticity. Future research on the relationship between depression and the circadian clock may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for depression-like symptoms. In this review we summarize recent evidence describing: (1) how the circadian clock is implicated in depression, (2) how clock genes may contribute to fast-acting antidepressants, and (3) the mechanistic links between the clock genes driving circadian rhythms and neuroplasticity.
Collapse
|
7
|
Turk AZ, Bishop M, Adeck A, SheikhBahaei S. Astrocytic modulation of central pattern generating motor circuits. Glia 2022; 70:1506-1519. [PMID: 35212422 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Central pattern generators (CPGs) generate the rhythmic and coordinated neural features necessary for the proper conduction of complex behaviors. In particular, CPGs are crucial for complex motor behaviors such as locomotion, mastication, respiration, and vocal production. While the importance of these networks in modulating behavior is evident, the mechanisms driving these CPGs are still not fully understood. On the other hand, accumulating evidence suggests that astrocytes have a significant role in regulating the function of some of these CPGs. Here, we review the location, function, and role of astrocytes in locomotion, respiration, and mastication CPGs and propose that, similarly, astrocytes may also play a significant role in the vocalization CPG.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ariana Z Turk
- Neuron-Glia Signaling and Circuits Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mitchell Bishop
- Neuron-Glia Signaling and Circuits Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Afuh Adeck
- Neuron-Glia Signaling and Circuits Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Shahriar SheikhBahaei
- Neuron-Glia Signaling and Circuits Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
The endogenous timekeeping system evolved to anticipate the time of the day through the 24 hours cycle of the Earth's rotation. In mammals, the circadian clock governs rhythmic physiological and behavioral processes, including the daily oscillation in glucose metabolism, food intake, energy expenditure, and whole-body insulin sensitivity. The results from a series of studies have demonstrated that environmental or genetic alterations of the circadian cycle in humans and rodents are strongly associated with metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Emerging evidence suggests that astrocyte clocks have a crucial role in regulating molecular, physiological, and behavioral circadian rhythms such as glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Given the concurrent high prevalence of type 2 diabetes and circadian disruption, understanding the mechanisms underlying glucose homeostasis regulation by the circadian clock and its dysregulation may improve glycemic control. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the tight interconnection between the timekeeping system, glucose homeostasis, and insulin sensitivity. We focus specifically on the involvement of astrocyte clocks, at the organism, cellular, and molecular levels, in the regulation of glucose metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga Barca-Mayo
- Circadian and Glial Biology Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Miguel López
- NeurObesity Lab, Physiology Department, Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CiMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abrego L, Gordleeva S, Kanakov O, Krivonosov M, Zaikin A. Estimating integrated information in bidirectional neuron-astrocyte communication. Phys Rev E 2021; 103:022410. [PMID: 33736090 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.103.022410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that suggests the importance of astrocytes as elements for neural information processing through the modulation of synaptic transmission. A key aspect of this problem is understanding the impact of astrocytes in the information carried by compound events in neurons across time. In this paper, we investigate how the astrocytes participate in the information integrated by individual neurons in an ensemble through the measurement of "integrated information." We propose a computational model that considers bidirectional communication between astrocytes and neurons through glutamate-induced calcium signaling. Our model highlights the role of astrocytes in information processing through dynamical coordination. Our findings suggest that the astrocytic feedback promotes synergetic influences in the neural communication, which is maximized when there is a balance between excess correlation and spontaneous spiking activity. The results were further linked with additional measures such as net synergy and mutual information. This result reinforces the idea that astrocytes have integrative properties in communication among neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis Abrego
- Department of Mathematics, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Susanna Gordleeva
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Center for Technologies in Robotics and Mechatronics Components, Innopolis University, Innopolis, Russia
- Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Oleg Kanakov
- Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Mikhail Krivonosov
- Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Alexey Zaikin
- Department of Mathematics, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- Centre for Analysis of Complex Systems, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Deciphering the star codings: astrocyte manipulation alters mouse behavior. Exp Mol Med 2020; 52:1028-1038. [PMID: 32665584 PMCID: PMC8080576 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-020-0468-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes occupy a vast area within the central nervous system (CNS). Despite their abundance, the functional role of astrocytes in vivo has only begun to be uncovered. Astrocytes were typically thought to be involved in pathophysiological states. However, recent studies have shown that astrocytes are actively involved in cell signaling in normal physiological states; manipulating various aspects of astrocytic cell signaling in vivo has revealed that astrocytes are key players in controlling healthy behavior in the absence of pathophysiology. Unfortunately, the study of astrocyte function is often limited by the number of approaches available due to our lack of understanding of cell physiology. This review summarizes recent studies in which altered astrocyte signaling capacity resulted in dramatic changes in behavior. We not only discuss the methodologies available to manipulate astrocytes but also provide insights into the behavioral roles of astrocytes in the CNS. Genetic studies provide increased evidence that astrocytes, star-shaped cells in the central nervous system, play important roles affecting behavior in mammals. Although they are just as abundant as neurons, astrocytes are not excited by electrical signals. For this reason they have traditionally been regarded simply as ‘support cells’ for neurons, but recent evidence suggests that they can significantly modulate neuron signals. A review paper by Keebum Park and Sung Joong Lee at Seoul National University in South Korea highlights improved methods for monitoring the signaling processes related to astrocytes, which manifest most notably through sharp changes in calcium levels. Several studies have used genetic knockout mice, designer drugs and light-sensitive proteins to change astrocyte activity, affecting a diverse range of behaviors including sleeping and feeding patterns, memory formation, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Collapse
|
11
|
Abstract
While neurons and circuits are almost unequivocally considered to be the computational units and actuators of behavior, a complete understanding of the nervous system must incorporate glial cells. Far beyond a copious but passive substrate, glial influence is inextricable from neuronal physiology, whether during developmental guidance and synaptic shaping or through the trophic support, neurotransmitter and ion homeostasis, cytokine signaling and immune function, and debris engulfment contributions that this class provides throughout an organism's life. With such essential functions, among a growing literature of nuanced roles, it follows that glia are consequential to behavior in adult animals, with novel genetic tools allowing for the investigation of these phenomena in living organisms. We discuss here the relevance of glia for maintaining circadian rhythms and also for serving functions of sleep.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Artiushin
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA;
| | - Amita Sehgal
- Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Barca‐Mayo O, Boender AJ, Armirotti A, De Pietri Tonelli D. Deletion of astrocytic BMAL1 results in metabolic imbalance and shorter lifespan in mice. Glia 2020; 68:1131-1147. [PMID: 31833591 PMCID: PMC7496695 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Disruption of the circadian cycle is strongly associated with metabolic imbalance and reduced longevity in humans. Also, rodent models of circadian arrhythmia, such as the constitutive knockout of the clock gene Bmal1, leads to metabolic disturbances and early death. Although astrocyte clock regulates molecular and behavioral circadian rhythms, its involvement in the regulation of energy balance and lifespan is unknown. Here, we show that astrocyte-specific deletion of Bmal1 is sufficient to alter energy balance, glucose homeostasis, and reduce lifespan. Mutant animals displayed impaired hypothalamic molecular clock, age-dependent astrogliosis, apoptosis of hypothalamic astrocytes, and increased glutamate and GABA levels. Importantly, modulation of GABAA-receptor signaling completely restored glutamate levels, delayed the reactive gliosis as well as the metabolic phenotypes and expanded the lifespan of the mutants. Our results demonstrate that the astrocytic clock can influence many aspects of brain function and neurological disease and suggest astrocytes and GABAA receptor as pharmacological targets to prevent the metabolic dysfunctions and shortened lifespan associated with alterations of circadian rhythms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga Barca‐Mayo
- Neurobiology of miRNA labFondazione Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenoaItaly
| | - Arjen J. Boender
- Neuromodulation of Cortical and Subcortical Circuits LabFondazione Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenoaItaly
| | - Andrea Armirotti
- D3 PharmaChemistryFondazione Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenoaItaly
| | | |
Collapse
|