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McCarthy CI, Mustafá ER, Cornejo MP, Yaneff A, Rodríguez SS, Perello M, Raingo J. Chlorpromazine, an Inverse Agonist of D1R-Like, Differentially Targets Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel (Ca V) Subtypes in mPFC Neurons. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:2644-2660. [PMID: 36694048 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03221-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The dopamine receptor type 1 (D1R) and the dopamine receptor type 5 (D5R), which are often grouped as D1R-like due to their sequence and signaling similarities, exhibit high levels of constitutive activity. The molecular basis for this agonist-independent activation has been well characterized through biochemical and mutagenesis in vitro studies. In this regard, it was reported that many antipsychotic drugs act as inverse agonists of D1R-like constitutive activity. On the other hand, D1R is highly expressed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a brain area with important functions such as working memory. Here, we studied the impact of D1R-like constitutive activity and chlorpromazine (CPZ), an antipsychotic drug and D1R-like inverse agonist, on various neuronal CaV conductances, and we explored its effect on calcium-dependent neuronal functions in the mouse medial mPFC. Using ex vivo brain slices containing the mPFC and transfected HEK293T cells, we found that CPZ reduces CaV2.2 currents by occluding D1R-like constitutive activity, in agreement with a mechanism previously reported by our lab, whereas CPZ directly inhibits CaV1 currents in a D1R-like activity independent manner. In contrast, CPZ and D1R constitutive activity did not affect CaV2.1, CaV2.3, or CaV3 currents. Finally, we found that CPZ reduces excitatory postsynaptic responses in mPFC neurons. Our results contribute to understanding CPZ molecular targets in neurons and describe a novel physiological consequence of CPZ non-canonical action as a D1R-like inverse agonist in the mouse brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Inés McCarthy
- Electrophysiology Laboratory of the Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology (Argentine Research Council CONICET, Scientific Research Commission of the Buenos Aires Province and National University of La Plata), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Emilio Román Mustafá
- Electrophysiology Laboratory of the Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology (Argentine Research Council CONICET, Scientific Research Commission of the Buenos Aires Province and National University of La Plata), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Paula Cornejo
- Neurophysiology Laboratory of the Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology (Argentine Research Council CONICET, Scientific Research Commission of the Buenos Aires Province and National University of La Plata), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Yaneff
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Silvia Susana Rodríguez
- Electrophysiology Laboratory of the Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology (Argentine Research Council CONICET, Scientific Research Commission of the Buenos Aires Province and National University of La Plata), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mario Perello
- Neurophysiology Laboratory of the Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology (Argentine Research Council CONICET, Scientific Research Commission of the Buenos Aires Province and National University of La Plata), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jesica Raingo
- Electrophysiology Laboratory of the Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology (Argentine Research Council CONICET, Scientific Research Commission of the Buenos Aires Province and National University of La Plata), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Becker-Krail DD, Walker WH, Nelson RJ. The Ventral Tegmental Area and Nucleus Accumbens as Circadian Oscillators: Implications for Drug Abuse and Substance Use Disorders. Front Physiol 2022; 13:886704. [PMID: 35574492 PMCID: PMC9094703 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.886704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms convergently evolved to allow for optimal synchronization of individuals’ physiological and behavioral processes with the Earth’s 24-h periodic cycling of environmental light and temperature. Whereas the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is considered the primary pacemaker of the mammalian circadian system, many extra-SCN oscillatory brain regions have been identified to not only exhibit sustainable rhythms in circadian molecular clock function, but also rhythms in overall region activity/function and mediated behaviors. In this review, we present the most recent evidence for the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) to serve as extra-SCN oscillators and highlight studies that illustrate the functional significance of the VTA’s and NAc’s inherent circadian properties as they relate to reward-processing, drug abuse, and vulnerability to develop substance use disorders (SUDs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Darius D Becker-Krail
- Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - William H Walker
- Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Randy J Nelson
- Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States
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3
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Lee R, McGee A, Fernandez FX. Systematic review of drugs that modify the circadian system's phase-shifting responses to light exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:866-879. [PMID: 34961774 PMCID: PMC8882192 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01251-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We searched PubMed for primary research quantifying drug modification of light-induced circadian phase-shifting in rodents. This search, conducted for work published between 1960 and 2018, yielded a total of 146 papers reporting results from 901 studies. Relevant articles were those with any extractable data on phase resetting in wildtype (non-trait selected) rodents administered a drug, alongside a vehicle/control group, near or at the time of exposure. Most circadian pharmacology experiments were done using drugs thought to act directly on either the brain's central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the SCN's primary relay, the retinohypothalamic tract, secondary pathways originating from the medial/dorsal raphe nuclei and intergeniculate leaflet, or the brain's sleep-arousal centers. While the neurotransmitter systems underlying these circuits were of particular interest, including those involving glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, and acetylcholine, other signaling modalities have also been assessed, including agonists and antagonists of receptors linked to dopamine, histamine, endocannabinoids, adenosine, opioids, and second-messenger pathways downstream of glutamate receptor activation. In an effort to identify drugs that unduly influence circadian responses to light, we quantified the net effects of each drug class by ratioing the size of the phase-shift observed after administration to that observed with vehicle in a given experiment. This allowed us to organize data across the literature, compare the relative efficacy of one mechanism versus another, and clarify which drugs might best suppress or potentiate phase resetting. Aggregation of the available data in this manner suggested that several candidates might be clinically relevant as auxiliary treatments to suppress ectopic light responses during shiftwork or amplify the circadian effects of timed bright light therapy. Future empirical research will be necessary to validate these possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Austin McGee
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Fabian-Xosé Fernandez
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
- BIO5 and McKnight Brain Research Institutes, Tucson, AZ, USA.
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4
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Luo S, Zhang Y, Ezrokhi M, Li Y, Tsai T, Cincotta AH. Circadian peak dopaminergic activity response at the biological clock pacemaker (suprachiasmatic nucleus) area mediates the metabolic responsiveness to a high-fat diet. J Neuroendocrinol 2018; 30:e12563. [PMID: 29224246 PMCID: PMC5817247 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Among vertebrate species of the major vertebrate classes in the wild, a seasonal rhythm of whole body fuel metabolism, oscillating from a lean to obese condition, is a common biological phenomenon. This annual cycle is driven in part by annual changes in the circadian dopaminergic signalling at the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), with diminution of circadian peak dopaminergic activity at the SCN facilitating development of the seasonal obese insulin-resistant condition. The present study investigated whether such an ancient circadian dopamine-SCN activity system for expression of the seasonal obese, insulin-resistant phenotype may be operative in animals made obese amd insulin resistant by high-fat feeding and, if so, whether reinstatement of the circadian dopaminergic peak at the SCN would be sufficient to reverse the adverse metabolic impact of the high-fat diet without any alteration of caloric intake. First, we identified the supramammillary nucleus as a novel site providing the majority of dopaminergic neuronal input to the SCN. We further identified dopamine D2 receptors within the peri-SCN region as being functional in mediating SCN responsiveness to local dopamine. In lean, insulin-sensitive rats, the peak in the circadian rhythm of dopamine release at the peri-SCN coincided with the daily peak in SCN electrophysiological responsiveness to local dopamine administration. However, in rats made obese and insulin resistant by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding, these coincident circadian peak activities were both markedly attenuated or abolished. Reinstatement of the circadian peak in dopamine level at the peri-SCN by its appropriate circadian-timed daily microinjection to this area (but not outside this circadian time-interval) abrogated the obese, insulin-resistant condition without altering the consumption of the HFD. These findings suggest that the circadian peak of dopaminergic activity at the peri-SCN/SCN is a key modulator of metabolism and the responsiveness to adverse metabolic consequences of HFD consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Luo
- VeroScience LLCTivertonRIUSA
| | | | | | - Y. Li
- VeroScience LLCTivertonRIUSA
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5
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Grippo RM, Purohit AM, Zhang Q, Zweifel LS, Güler AD. Direct Midbrain Dopamine Input to the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Accelerates Circadian Entrainment. Curr Biol 2017; 27:2465-2475.e3. [PMID: 28781050 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) neurotransmission controls behaviors important for survival, including voluntary movement, reward processing, and detection of salient events, such as food or mate availability. Dopaminergic tone also influences circadian physiology and behavior. Although the evolutionary significance of this input is appreciated, its precise neurophysiological architecture remains unknown. Here, we identify a novel, direct connection between the DA neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). We demonstrate that D1 dopamine receptor (Drd1) signaling within the SCN is necessary for properly timed resynchronization of activity rhythms to phase-shifted light:dark cycles and that elevation of DA tone through selective activation of VTA DA neurons accelerates photoentrainment. Our findings demonstrate a previously unappreciated role for direct DA input to the master circadian clock and highlight the importance of an evolutionarily significant relationship between the circadian system and the neuromodulatory circuits that govern motivational behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Grippo
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, 485 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Aarti M Purohit
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, 485 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, 485 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Larry S Zweifel
- Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ali D Güler
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, 485 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, 409 Lane Road, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
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6
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Wreschnig D, Dolatshad H, Davis FC. Embryonic development of circadian oscillations in the mouse hypothalamus. J Biol Rhythms 2015; 29:299-310. [PMID: 25238858 DOI: 10.1177/0748730414545086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms in mammals are regulated by the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The generation of circadian oscillations is a cell-autonomous property, and coupling among cells is essential for the SCN to function as a pacemaker. The development of SCN anatomy and cytology has been extensively studied, but the point in development when the SCN first has the capacity to generate circadian oscillations has not been established. We therefore examined the development of circadian oscillations using per2::luc mice in which bioluminescence tracks the expression of the circadian clock protein, PER2. In vitro, hypothalamic explants first expressed consistent oscillations when isolated between 15 and 16 days postfertilization (e15). Oscillations were more robust at later ages. Explants from other brain areas did not express oscillations, indicating that the development of oscillations is not a general property of embryonic tissue. SCN explants obtained on e14 did not initially express oscillations but developed them in vitro over 4 to 6 d. Although coupling among cells is required for the long-term expression of tissue-level oscillations, explants from mice lacking the coupling peptide vasoactive intestinal peptide still developed oscillations. In the mouse, the capacity to generate molecular oscillations on e15 coincides with the completion of neurogenesis and SCN-specific transcription factor expression. Thus, within a day of its genesis at an age approximately equivalent to the end of the first trimester in humans, the SCN develops the capacity to express circadian oscillations and autonomously develops mechanisms sufficient to couple and synchronize its cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Wreschnig
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hamid Dolatshad
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Fred C Davis
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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7
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Formalin-induced c-fos expression in the brain of infant rats. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2010; 12:263-71. [PMID: 21146467 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2010.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2010] [Revised: 07/30/2010] [Accepted: 09/16/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED In the fetal, infant, and adult rat, injury induces a well-defined behavioral response and induces c-fos expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn. There is more limited information about the processing of noxious stimulation in the infant brain. We describe here the appearance of the Fos protein in the brain of fetal and infant rats following formalin-induced injury. Regions were chosen for analysis with a special focus on brain loci that express c-fos in the adult. No Fos positive cells were found in the brains of fetuses; newborns did not show increased Fos expression after formalin injection in any structure examined. At 3 and 14 days of age, there was a significant increase in Fos staining induced by formalin in the ventral lateral medulla. In contrast, paraventricular and medial dorsal nuclei of the thalamus, the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and periaqueductal gray of the midbrain showed increased levels of Fos protein only at 14 days of age. We hypothesize that this developmental pattern is related not only to the maturation of pain perception but also to development of autonomic and defensive reactions to pain in the infant. PERSPECTIVE Because the infant processes pain differently than the adult, knowledge of those differences informs pediatric clinical practice. Using Fos expression as a marker of neural activity in the rat, we show that the pattern of brain activation is immature at birth but is in place by 14 days of age.
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8
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McDougall SA, Reichel CM, Cyr MC, Karper PE, Nazarian A, Crawford CA. Importance of D(1) receptors for associative components of amphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization and conditioned activity: a study using D(1) receptor knockout mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2005; 183:20-30. [PMID: 16136298 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-005-0146-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2005] [Accepted: 07/26/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Repeated exposure to psychostimulant drugs results in conditioned activity and behavioral sensitization. Nonassociative cellular changes are necessary for behavioral sensitization, while associative processes appear to modify the sensitized response. OBJECTIVE The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the absence of the D(1) receptor would disrupt associative processes modulating sensitization and conditioned activity. METHODS Wild-type and D(1) receptor knockout mice (i.e., D(1)-deficient mice) were injected with amphetamine (AMPH; 8 mg/kg, IP) before being placed in a previously novel test chamber (AMPH-Test group) or before being returned to the home cage (AMPH-Home group). Separate groups of mice were injected with saline (SAL) at the same time points. Distance traveled was measured 60 min each day, with the preexposure phase lasting 1 or 7 days. Sensitization was subsequently assessed after an injection of AMPH (1 mg/kg, IP), while conditioned activity was assessed after an injection of SAL. RESULTS After a 1-day preexposure phase, wild-type and D(1)-deficient mice exhibited similar patterns of sensitization and conditioned activity. After a 7-day preexposure phase, (1) D(1)-deficient mice exhibited more robust context-specific sensitization than wild-type mice, (2) only D(1)-deficient mice showed context-independent sensitization, and (3) only D(1)-deficient mice showed conditioned activity. CONCLUSIONS Repeatedly treating D(1)-deficient mice with AMPH appears to cause a general increase in responsivity. The reason for this hyper-responsivity is uncertain, but it is possible that cues from the testing environment were unable to inhibit responding (i.e., associative processes were disrupted). Alternatively, compensatory mechanisms (e.g., increases in D(2)-like receptors) may affect processes underlying sensitization and conditioned activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanders A McDougall
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA.
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Abstract
This review summarizes the current knowledge about the ontogenetic development of the circadian system in mammals. The developmental changes of overt rhythms are discussed, although the main focus of the review is the underlying neuronal and molecular mechanisms. In addition, the review describes ontogenetic development, not only as a process of morpho-functional maturation. The need of repeated adaptations and readaptations due to changing developmental stage and environmental conditions is also considered. The review analyzes mainly rodent data, obtained from the literature and from the author's own studies. Results from other species, including humans, are presented to demonstrate common features and species-dependent differences. The review first describes the development of the suprachiasmatic nuclei as the central pacemaker system and shows that intrinsic circadian rhythms are already generated in the mammalian fetus. As in adult organisms, the period length is different from 24 h and needs continuous correction by environmental periodicities, or zeitgebers. The investigation of the ontogenetic development of the mechanisms of entrainment reveals that, at prenatal and early postnatal stages, non-photic cues deriving from the mother are effective. Light-dark entrainment develops later. At a certain age, both photic and non-photic zeitgebers may act in parallel, even though the respective time information is 12 h out of phase. That leads to a temporary internal desynchronization. Because rhythmic information needs to be transferred to effector organs, the corresponding neural and humoral signalling pathways are also briefly described. Finally, to be able to transform a rhythmic signal into an overt rhythm, the corresponding effector organs must be functionally mature. As many of these organs are able to generate their own intrinsic rhythms, another aspect of the review is dedicated to the development of peripheral oscillators and mechanisms of their entrainment. The latter includes control by the central pacemaker as well as by distinct environmental signals. Ecological aspects of the described developmental changes in the circadian system and some practical consequences are also briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dietmar Weinert
- Institute of Zoology, Martin-Luther- University Halle- Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
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10
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Li X, Davis FC. Developmental expression of clock genes in the Syrian hamster. BRAIN RESEARCH. DEVELOPMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH 2005; 158:31-40. [PMID: 15987658 DOI: 10.1016/j.devbrainres.2005.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2005] [Revised: 05/20/2005] [Accepted: 05/21/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Transcription/translation feedback loops consisting of multiple clock genes are thought to be essential for circadian oscillations at cellular, tissue and organismal levels. We examined the developmental expressions of three clock genes (Bmal1, Cry1 and Per1) in the Syrian hamster to probe the oscillatory properties of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) over the first 4 days after the completion of SCN neurogenesis. Samples were taken at the dam's circadian times 6, 12, and 18 daily over 4 days in constant dim light and processed for in situ hybridization using 35S-labeled RNA probes. Collection times were based on the phases of Bmal1 and Per1 rhythms in adult SCN and on an observed difference in Per1 mRNA at CT6 and 18 on postnatal day 2. For the developmental study, sections from each brain were processed in parallel for the three genes. Bmal1 was prominently expressed in the fetal SCN while Per1 and Cry1 were only weakly expressed. Transcripts of all three genes showed higher abundance just after birth. At subsequent ages, Bmal1 showed a significant decrease, while Per1 continued to be greater than prenatal levels. Significant variation was detected across circadian times for Cry1, but no circadian variation was detected for Per1 and Bmal1. Molecular oscillations equivalent to those observed in adults were not present in the fetal SCN despite evidence for an entrainable pacemaker at that time. An absence of robust oscillations during early SCN development may in part explain the strong phase-setting effects of pharmacological agents on the fetal/neonatal clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Li
- College of Life Sciences, WuHan University, WuHan City, Hubei Province, 430072, People's Republic of China
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Tsai LTY, Bainton RJ, Blau J, Heberlein U. Lmo mutants reveal a novel role for circadian pacemaker neurons in cocaine-induced behaviors. PLoS Biol 2004; 2:e408. [PMID: 15550987 PMCID: PMC529317 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0020408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2004] [Accepted: 09/24/2004] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila has been developed recently as a model system to investigate the molecular and neural mechanisms underlying responses to drugs of abuse. Genetic screens for mutants with altered drug-induced behaviors thus provide an unbiased approach to define novel molecules involved in the process. We identified mutations in the Drosophila LIM-only (LMO) gene, encoding a regulator of LIM-homeodomain proteins, in a genetic screen for mutants with altered cocaine sensitivity. Reduced Lmo function increases behavioral responses to cocaine, while Lmo overexpression causes the opposite effect, reduced cocaine responsiveness. Expression of Lmo in the principal Drosophila circadian pacemaker cells, the PDF-expressing ventral lateral neurons (LN(v)s), is sufficient to confer normal cocaine sensitivity. Consistent with a role for Lmo in LN(v)function,Lmomutants also show defects in circadian rhythms of behavior. However, the role for LN(v)s in modulating cocaine responses is separable from their role as pacemaker neurons: ablation or functional silencing of the LN(v)s reduces cocaine sensitivity, while loss of the principal circadian neurotransmitter PDF has no effect. Together, these results reveal a novel role for Lmo in modulating acute cocaine sensitivity and circadian locomotor rhythmicity, and add to growing evidence that these behaviors are regulated by shared molecular mechanisms. The finding that the degree of cocaine responsiveness is controlled by the Drosophila pacemaker neurons provides a neuroanatomical basis for this overlap. We propose that Lmo controls the responsiveness of LN(v)s to cocaine, which in turn regulate the flies' behavioral sensitivity to the drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linus T.-Y Tsai
- 1Department of Anatomy, Program in Neuroscienceand Medical Science Training Program, University of California, San Francisco, CaliforniaUnited States of America
| | - Roland J Bainton
- 2Department of Anesthesia, University of CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaUnited States of America
| | - Justin Blau
- 3Department of Biology, New York UniversityNew York, New YorkUnited States of America
| | - Ulrike Heberlein
- 4Department of Anatomy, Programs in Neuroscience and Developmental BiologyUniversity of California, San Francisco, CaliforniaUnited States of America
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12
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Shearman LP, Weaver DR. Distinct pharmacological mechanisms leading to c-fos gene expression in the fetal suprachiasmatic nucleus. J Biol Rhythms 2001; 16:531-40. [PMID: 11760011 DOI: 10.1177/074873001129002222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Maternal treatment with cocaine or a D1-dopamine receptor agonist induces c-fos gene expression in the fetal suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Other treatments that induce c-fos expression in the fetal SCN include caffeine and nicotine. In the current article, the authors assessed whether these different pharmacological treatments activate c-fos expression by a common neurochemical mechanism. The results indicate the presence of at least two distinct pharmacological pathways to c-fos expression in the fetal rat SCN. Previous studies demonstrate that prenatal activation of dopamine receptors affects the developing circadian system. The present work shows that stimulant drugs influence the fetal brain through multiple transmitter systems and further suggests that there may be multiple pathways leading to entrainment of the fetal biological clock.
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MESH Headings
- 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine/pharmacology
- Adenosine/analogs & derivatives
- Adenosine/pharmacology
- Animals
- Caffeine/pharmacology
- Central Nervous System Stimulants/pharmacology
- Dizocilpine Maleate/pharmacology
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects
- Genes, fos/drug effects
- Genes, fos/genetics
- Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
- In Situ Hybridization
- Pregnancy
- RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Receptors, Cell Surface/genetics
- Receptors, Cell Surface/physiology
- Suprachiasmatic Nucleus/drug effects
- Suprachiasmatic Nucleus/embryology
- Suprachiasmatic Nucleus/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
- L P Shearman
- Laboratory of Developmental Chronobiology, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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13
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Abstract
Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated rhythms with a period length of about 24-hours. Evidence gathered over the past decade indicates that the circadian timing system develops prenatally, and the suprachiasmatic nuclei, the site of a circadian clock, is present by midgestation in human and nonhuman primates. Recent evidence also shows that the circadian system of primate infants is responsive to light at very premature stages and that low intensity lighting can regulate the developing clock. After birth, there is progressive maturation of the circadian system outputs, with pronounced rhythms in sleep-wake and hormone secretion generally developing after 2 months of age. With the continued elucidation of circadian system development and influences on human physiology and illness, it is anticipated that consideration of circadian biology will become an increasingly important component of neonatal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Rivkees
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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14
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Weaver DR. The roles of melatonin in development. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2000; 460:199-214. [PMID: 10810515 DOI: 10.1007/0-306-46814-x_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- D R Weaver
- Laboratory of Developmental Chronobiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
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15
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Andretic R, Hirsh J. Circadian modulation of dopamine receptor responsiveness in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2000; 97:1873-8. [PMID: 10677549 PMCID: PMC26529 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.97.4.1873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/1999] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the circadian function of Drosophila dopamine receptors by using a behaviorally active decapitated preparation that allows for direct application of drugs to the nerve cord. Quinpirole, a D2-like dopamine receptor agonist, induces reflexive locomotion in decapitated flies. We show that the amount of locomotion induced changes as a function of the time of day, with the highest responsiveness to quinpirole during the subjective night. Furthermore, dopamine receptor responsiveness is under circadian control and depends on the normal function of the period gene. The head pacemaker is at least partly dispensable for the circadian modulation of quinpirole-induced locomotion, because changes in agonist responsiveness persist in decapitated flies that are aged for 12 h. This finding suggests a role for the period-dependent molecular oscillators in the body in the modulation of amine receptor responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Andretic
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
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Duffield GE, Mcnulty S, Ebling FJ. Anatomical and functional characterisation of a dopaminergic system in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the neonatal siberian hamster. J Comp Neurol 1999. [DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(19990524)408:1<73::aid-cne6>3.0.co;2-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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17
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Sibley DR. New insights into dopaminergic receptor function using antisense and genetically altered animals. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 1999; 39:313-41. [PMID: 10331087 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.pharmtox.39.1.313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Dopaminergic receptors are widespread throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems, where they regulate a variety of physiological, behavioral, and endocrine functions. These receptors are also clinically important drug targets for the treatment of a number of disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and hyperprolactinemia. To date, five different dopamine receptor subtypes have been cloned and characterized. Many of these subtypes are pharmacologically similar, making it difficult to selectively stimulate or block a specific receptor subtype in vivo. Thus, the assignment of various physiological or behavioral functions to specific dopamine receptor subtypes using pharmacological tools is difficult. In view of this, a number of investigators have--in order to elucidate functional roles--begun to use highly selective genetic approaches to alter the expression of individual dopamine receptor subtypes in vivo. This review discusses recent studies involving the use of genetic approaches for the study of dopaminergic receptor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Sibley
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1406, USA.
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Grosse J, Davis FC. Transient entrainment of a circadian pacemaker during development by dopaminergic activation in Syrian hamsters. Brain Res Bull 1999; 48:185-94. [PMID: 10230709 DOI: 10.1016/s0361-9230(98)00162-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Maternal cues entrain a circadian pacemaker in fetal Syrian hamsters. These cues may act through dopaminergic activation of the fetal suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN); injection of the dopamine D1 agonist SKF38393 to pregnant hamsters entrains activity rhythms of their pups and induces expression of c-fos in the fetal SCN. The aim of this study was to examine the ability of SKF38393 to entrain neonatal Syrian hamsters and to determine the age at which this effect is lost. SKF38393 injections given to two groups of pups at opposite times of day on postnatal days (PN) 1-5 entrained the pups' activity rhythms to average phases that differed by 9.25 h. SKF38393 failed to establish different average phases when given on PN 6-10. Injection of SKF38393 on PN 1, but not PN 6, induced expression of Fos. These results demonstrate that dopaminergic activation is a potent entraining stimulus in neonatal hamsters and that its entraining effects, as well as its ability to induce Fos, are lost by PN 6. The phase established by dopaminergic activation was approximately opposite to that previously shown to be established by melatonin injections. Dopaminergic activation and melatonin may mimic separate but complementary maternal entraining signals which represent day and night.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Grosse
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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