Peripheral Circadian Clocks in the Vasculature

The perspective of ceRNA regulation of circadian rhythm on choroidal neovascularization

Abnormal growth of blood vessels (choroidal neovascularization) can lead to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and eventually cause vision loss due to detachment of the retinal pigmented epithelium. This indicates that choroidal neovascularization is important for the treatment of AMD. The circadian clock in the mammalian retina is responsible for controlling various functions of the retina, enabling it to adjust to changes in light and darkness. Recent studies have revealed a potential connection between the circadian clock and eye diseases, although a cause-and-effect relationship has not been definitively established. C57BL/6J male mice (aged 6 weeks) were randomly divided into two groups (Control group: 9:00-21:00 light period (300 lx); Jet lag group: 8-hour phase advance once every 4 days). A laser-induced CNV model was created after 2 weeks of feeding in a controlled or jet-lagged environment. Then, full transcriptome sequencing was performed. The pathways regulated by differentially expressed mRNAs were identified by GO analysis and GSEA. Further protein networks were constructed with the STRING database and Cytoscape software. WGCNA was used to further explore the co-expression modules of these differential genes and the correlation between these differential genes and phenotypes. ceRNA networks were constructed with miRanda and TargetScan. The pathways associated with the overlapping differentially expressed mRNAs in the ceRNA network were identified, and the hub genes were validated by qPCR. A total of 661 important DEGs, 31 differentially expressed miRNAs, 106 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 87 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified. GO and GSEA showed that the upregulated DEGs were mainly involved in reproductive structure development and reproductive system development. The STRING database and Cytoscape were used to determine the protein interaction relationships of these DEGs. WGCNA divided the expression of these genes into several modules and screened the hub genes of each module separately. Furthermore, a ceRNA network was constructed. GO analysis and GSEA showed that these target DEmRNAs mainly function in wound healing, cell spreading, epiboly involved in wound healing, epiboly, and morphogenesis of an epithelial sheet. Finally, ten key genes were identified, and their expression patterns were confirmed by real-time qPCR. In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanism of ceRNAs in choroidal neovascularization according to different light-dark cycles in the eyeball.

Chrono-nutrition for hypertension

Despite the advancement in blood pressure (BP) lowering medications, uncontrolled hypertension persists, underscoring a stagnation of effective clinical strategies. Novel and effective lifestyle therapies are needed to prevent and manage hypertension to mitigate future progression to cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases. Chrono-nutrition, aligning the timing of eating with environmental cues and internal biological clocks, has emerged as a potential strategy to improve BP in high-risk populations. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the circadian physiology of BP with an emphasis on renal and vascular circadian biology. The potential of Chrono-nutrition as a lifestyle intervention for hypertension is discussed and current evidence for the efficacy of time-restricted eating is presented.

Clock 3111 T/C and Period3 VNTR gene polymorphisms and proteins, and melatonin levels in women with infertility

PURPOSE

One of the causes of infertility is circadian rhythm disorders. This study aimed to investigate Clock 3111 T/C and Period3 VNTR (variable number tandem repeat) gene polymorphisms and these gene proteins, some biochemical parameters, and circadian rhythm hormones in infertile women.

METHODS

Thirty-five infertile women and thirty-one healthy fertile women were included. Blood samples were taken in the mid-luteal phase. DNAs obtained from peripheral blood were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. Follicle-stimulating hormone, LH (luteinizing hormone), estradiol, prolactin, free triiodothyronine, fT4 (free thyroxine), thyroid-stimulating hormone, testosterone, cortisol, progesterone, prolactin, ferritin, vitamin B12, and folate levels in serum samples were determined by the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay method. Melatonin, Clock, and Period3 protein levels were determined with ELISA kits.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the frequency of Period3 DD (Per34/4) genotype between the groups. The Clock protein level of the infertile group was higher than the fertile group. Clock protein levels of the fertile group were positively correlated with estradiol levels and negatively correlated with LH, prolactin, and fT4 levels. PER3 protein levels of the infertile group were negatively correlated with LH levels. Melatonin levels of the fertile group were positively correlated with progesterone levels and negatively correlated with cortisol levels. Melatonin levels of the infertile group were positively correlated with LH levels and negatively correlated with cortisol levels.

CONCLUSION

Per34/4 genotype may be an independent risk factor in infertile women. Different correlation results found in fertile and infertile women can form the basis for future studies.

The Circadian Biology of Heart Failure

Driven by autonomous molecular clocks that are synchronized by a master pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, cardiac physiology fluctuates in diurnal rhythms that can be partly or entirely circadian. Cardiac contractility, metabolism, and electrophysiology, all have diurnal rhythms, as does the neurohumoral control of cardiac and kidney function. In this review, we discuss the evidence that circadian biology regulates cardiac function, how molecular clocks may relate to the pathogenesis of heart failure, and how chronotherapeutics might be applied in heart failure. Disrupting molecular clocks can lead to heart failure in animal models, and the myocardial response to injury seems to be conditioned by the time of day. Human studies are consistent with these findings, and they implicate the clock and circadian rhythms in the pathogenesis of heart failure. Certain circadian rhythms are maintained in patients with heart failure, a factor that can guide optimal timing of therapy. Pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic manipulation of circadian rhythms and molecular clocks show promise in the prevention and treatment of heart failure.

Impacts of vitamin A deficiency on biological rhythms: Insights from the literature

Vitamin A is essential for brain function, in addition to its important roles in vision, immunity, and reproduction. Previous studies have shown that retinoic acid (RA), the bioactive form of vitamin A, is involved in the regulation of various intracellular responses related to biological rhythms. RA is reported to affect the circadian rhythm by binding to RA receptors, such as receptors in the circadian feedback loops in the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus. However, evidence of the impacts of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) on biological rhythms is limited, and most of the related studies were conducted on animals. In this review, we described the physiological functions of biological rhythms and physiological pathways/molecular mechanisms regulating the biological rhythms. We then discussed the current understanding of the associations of VAD with biological rhythm disorders/diseases (sleep disorders, impairments in learning/memory, emotional disorders, and other immune or metabolism diseases) and summarized the currently proposed mechanisms (mainly by retinoid nuclear receptors and related proteins) for the associations. This review may help recognize the role of VAD in biological rhythm disorders and stimulate clinical or epidemiological studies to confirm the findings of related animal studies.

Bromocriptine-QR Therapy Reduces Sympathetic Tone and Ameliorates a Pro-Oxidative/Pro-Inflammatory Phenotype in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and Plasma of Type 2 Diabetes Subjects

Bromocriptine-QR is a sympatholytic dopamine D2 agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes that has demonstrated rapid (within 1 year) substantial reductions in adverse cardiovascular events in this population by as yet incompletely delineated mechanisms. However, a chronic state of elevated sympathetic nervous system activity and central hypodopaminergic function has been demonstrated to potentiate an immune system pro-oxidative/pro-inflammatory condition and this immune phenotype is known to contribute significantly to the advancement of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, the possibility exists that bromocriptine-QR therapy may reduce adverse cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes subjects via attenuation of this underlying chronic pro-oxidative/pro-inflammatory state. The present study was undertaken to assess the impact of bromocriptine-QR on a wide range of immune pro-oxidative/pro-inflammatory biochemical pathways and genes known to be operative in the genesis and progression of CVD. Inflammatory peripheral blood mononuclear cell biology is both a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease and also a marker of the body’s systemic pro-inflammatory status. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of 4-month circadian-timed (within 2 h of waking in the morning) bromocriptine-QR therapy (3.2 mg/day) in type 2 diabetes subjects whose glycemia was not optimally controlled on the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist on (i) gene expression status (via qPCR) of a wide array of mononuclear cell pro-oxidative/pro-inflammatory genes known to participate in the genesis and progression of CVD (OXR1, NRF2, NQO1, SOD1, SOD2, CAT, GSR, GPX1, GPX4, GCH1, HMOX1, BiP, EIF2α, ATF4, PERK, XBP1, ATF6, CHOP, GSK3β, NFkB, TXNIP, PIN1, BECN1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR10, MAPK8, NLRP3, CCR2, GCR, L-selectin, VCAM1, ICAM1) and (ii) humoral measures of sympathetic tone (norepinephrine and normetanephrine), whole-body oxidative stress (nitrotyrosine, TBARS), and pro-inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, MCP-1, prolactin, C-reactive protein [CRP]). Relative to pre-treatment status, 4 months of bromocriptine-QR therapy resulted in significant reductions of mRNA levels in PBMC endoplasmic reticulum stress-unfolded protein response effectors [GRP78/BiP (34%), EIF2α (32%), ATF4 (29%), XBP1 (25%), PIN1 (14%), BECN1 (23%)], oxidative stress response proteins [OXR1 (31%), NRF2 (32%), NQO1 (39%), SOD1 (52%), CAT (26%), GPX1 (33%), GPX4 (31%), GCH1 (30%), HMOX1 (40%)], mRNA levels of TLR pro-inflammatory pathway proteins [TLR2 (46%), TLR4 (20%), GSK3β (19%), NFkB (33%), TXNIP (18%), NLRP3 (32%), CCR2 (24%), GCR (28%)], mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cellular receptor proteins CCR2 and GCR by 24% and 28%, and adhesion molecule proteins L-selectin (35%) and VCAM1 (24%). Relative to baseline, bromocriptine-QR therapy also significantly reduced plasma levels of norepinephrine and normetanephrine by 33% and 22%, respectively, plasma pro-oxidative markers nitrotyrosine and TBARS by 13% and 10%, respectively, and pro-inflammatory factors IL-18, MCP1, IL-1β, prolactin, and CRP by 21%,13%, 12%, 42%, and 45%, respectively. These findings suggest a unique role for circadian-timed bromocriptine-QR sympatholytic dopamine agonist therapy in reducing systemic low-grade sterile inflammation to thereby reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

A wrinkle in time: circadian biology in pulmonary vascular health and disease

An often overlooked element of pulmonary vascular disease is time. Cellular responses to time, which are regulated directly by the core circadian clock, have only recently been elucidated. Despite an extensive collection of data regarding the role of rhythmic contribution to disease pathogenesis (such as systemic hypertension, coronary artery, and renal disease), the roles of key circadian transcription factors in pulmonary hypertension remain understudied. This is despite a large degree of overlap in the pulmonary hypertension and circadian rhythm fields, not only including shared signaling pathways, but also cell-specific effects of the core clock that are known to result in both protective and adverse lung vessel changes. Therefore, the goal of this review is to summarize the current dialogue regarding common pathways in circadian biology, with a specific emphasis on its implications in the progression of pulmonary hypertension. In this work, we emphasize specific proteins involved in the regulation of the core molecular clock while noting the circadian cell-specific changes relevant to vascular remodeling. Finally, we apply this knowledge to the optimization of medical therapy, with a focus on sleep hygiene and the role of chronopharmacology in patients with this disease. In dissecting the unique relationship between time and cellular biology, we aim to provide valuable insight into the practical implications of considering time as a therapeutic variable. Armed with this information, physicians will be positioned to more efficiently use the full four dimensions of patient care, resulting in improved morbidity and mortality of pulmonary hypertension patients.

Novel ACE2 protein interactions relevant to COVID-19 predicted by evolutionary rate correlations

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the cell receptor that the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 binds to and uses to enter and infect human cells. COVID-19, the pandemic disease caused by the coronavirus, involves diverse pathologies beyond those of a respiratory disease, including micro-thrombosis (micro-clotting), cytokine storms, and inflammatory responses affecting many organ systems. Longer-term chronic illness can persist for many months, often well after the pathogen is no longer detected. A better understanding of the proteins that ACE2 interacts with can reveal information relevant to these disease manifestations and possible avenues for treatment. We have undertaken an approach to predict candidate ACE2 interacting proteins which uses evolutionary inference to identify a set of mammalian proteins that “coevolve” with ACE2. The approach, called evolutionary rate correlation (ERC), detects proteins that show highly correlated evolutionary rates during mammalian evolution. Such proteins are candidates for biological interactions with the ACE2 receptor. The approach has uncovered a number of key ACE2 protein interactions of potential relevance to COVID-19 pathologies. Some proteins have previously been reported to be associated with severe COVID-19, but are not currently known to interact with ACE2, while additional predicted novel ACE2 interactors are of potential relevance to the disease. Using reciprocal rankings of protein ERCs, we have identified strongly interconnected ACE2 associated protein networks relevant to COVID-19 pathologies. ACE2 has clear connections to coagulation pathway proteins, such as Coagulation Factor V and fibrinogen components FGA, FGB, and FGG, the latter possibly mediated through ACE2 connections to Clusterin (which clears misfolded extracellular proteins) and GPR141 (whose functions are relatively unknown). ACE2 also connects to proteins involved in cytokine signaling and immune response (e.g. XCR1, IFNAR2 and TLR8), and to Androgen Receptor (AR). The ERC prescreening approach has elucidated possible functions for relatively uncharacterized proteins and possible new functions for well-characterized ones. Suggestions are made for the validation of ERC-predicted ACE2 protein interactions. We propose that ACE2 has novel protein interactions that are disrupted during SARS-CoV-2 infection, contributing to the spectrum of COVID-19 pathologies.

Time-of-Day-Dependent Effects of Bromocriptine to Ameliorate Vascular Pathology and Metabolic Syndrome in SHR Rats Held on High Fat Diet

The treatment of type 2 diabetes patients with bromocriptine-QR, a unique, quick release micronized formulation of bromocriptine, improves glycemic control and reduces adverse cardiovascular events. While the improvement of glycemic control is largely the result of improved postprandial hepatic glucose metabolism and insulin action, the mechanisms underlying the drug's cardioprotective effects are less well defined. Bromocriptine is a sympatholytic dopamine agonist and reduces the elevated sympathetic tone, characteristic of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, which potentiates elevations of vascular oxidative/nitrosative stress, known to precipitate cardiovascular disease. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of bromocriptine treatment upon biomarkers of vascular oxidative/nitrosative stress (including the pro-oxidative/nitrosative stress enzymes of NADPH oxidase 4, inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), uncoupled endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), the pro-inflammatory/pro-oxidative marker GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GTPCH 1), and the pro-vascular health enzyme, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) as well as the plasma level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), a circulating marker of systemic oxidative stress), in hypertensive SHR rats held on a high fat diet to induce metabolic syndrome. Inasmuch as the central nervous system (CNS) dopaminergic activities both regulate and are regulated by CNS circadian pacemaker circuitry, this study also investigated the time-of-day-dependent effects of bromocriptine treatment (10 mg/kg/day at either 13 or 19 h after the onset of light (at the natural waking time or late during the activity period, respectively) among animals held on 14 h daily photoperiods for 16 days upon such vascular biomarkers of vascular redox state, several metabolic syndrome parameters, and mediobasal hypothalamic (MBH) mRNA expression levels of neuropeptides neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related protein (AgRP) which regulate the peripheral fuel metabolism and of mRNA expression of other MBH glial and neuronal cell genes that support such metabolism regulating neurons in this model system. Such bromocriptine treatment at ZT 13 improved (reduced) biomarkers of vascular oxidative/nitrosative stress including plasma TBARS level, aortic NADPH oxidase 4, iNOS and GTPCH 1 levels, and improved other markers of coupled eNOS function, including increased sGC protein level, relative to controls. However, bromocriptine treatment at ZT 19 produced no improvement in either coupled eNOS function or sGC protein level. Moreover, such ZT 13 bromocriptine treatment reduced several metabolic syndrome parameters including fasting insulin and leptin levels, as well as elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure, insulin resistance, body fat store levels and liver fat content, however, such effects of ZT 19 bromocriptine treatment were largely absent versus control. Finally, ZT 13 bromocriptine treatment reduced MBH NPY and AgRP mRNA levels and mRNA levels of several MBH glial cell/neuronal genes that code for neuronal support/plasticity proteins (suggesting a shift in neuronal structure/function to a new metabolic control state) while ZT 19 treatment reduced only AgRP, not NPY, and was with very little effect on such MBH glial cell genes expression. These findings indicate that circadian-timed bromocriptine administration at the natural circadian peak of CNS dopaminergic activity (that is diminished in insulin resistant states), but not outside this daily time window when such CNS dopaminergic activity is naturally low, produces widespread improvements in biomarkers of vascular oxidative stress that are associated with the amelioration of metabolic syndrome and reductions in MBH neuropeptides and gene expressions known to facilitate metabolic syndrome. These results of such circadian-timed bromocriptine treatment upon vascular pathology provide potential mechanisms for the observed marked reductions in adverse cardiovascular events with circadian-timed bromocriptine-QR therapy (similarly timed to the onset of daily waking as in this study) of type 2 diabetes subjects and warrant further investigations into related mechanisms and the potential application of such intervention to prediabetes and metabolic syndrome patients as well.

Circadian Deregulation as Possible New Player in Pollution-Induced Tissue Damage

Circadian rhythms are 24-h oscillations driven by a hypothalamic master oscillator that entrains peripheral clocks in almost all cells, tissues and organs. Circadian misalignment, triggered by industrialization and modern lifestyles, has been linked to several pathological conditions, with possible impairment of the quality or even the very existence of life. Living organisms are continuously exposed to air pollutants, and among them, ozone or particulate matters (PMs) are considered to be among the most toxic to human health. In particular, exposure to environmental stressors may result not only in pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, but, as it has been demonstrated in the last two decades, the skin can also be affected by pollution. In this context, we hypothesize that chronodistruption can exacerbate cell vulnerability to exogenous damaging agents, and we suggest a possible common mechanism of action in deregulation of the homeostasis of the pulmonary, cardiovascular and cutaneous tissues and in its involvement in the development of pathological conditions.

Circadian Rhythm: Potential Therapeutic Target for Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis

Every organism has an intrinsic biological rhythm that orchestrates biological processes in adjusting to daily environmental changes. Circadian rhythms are maintained by networks of molecular clocks throughout the core and peripheral tissues, including immune cells, blood vessels, and perivascular adipose tissues. Recent findings have suggested strong correlations between the circadian clock and cardiovascular diseases. Desynchronization between the circadian rhythm and body metabolism contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases including arteriosclerosis and thrombosis. Circadian rhythms are involved in controlling inflammatory processes and metabolisms, which can influence the pathology of arteriosclerosis and thrombosis. Circadian clock genes are critical in maintaining the robust relationship between diurnal variation and the cardiovascular system. The circadian machinery in the vascular system may be a novel therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The research on circadian rhythms in cardiovascular diseases is still progressing. In this review, we briefly summarize recent studies on circadian rhythms and cardiovascular homeostasis, focusing on the circadian control of inflammatory processes and metabolisms. Based on the recent findings, we discuss the potential target molecules for future therapeutic strategies against cardiovascular diseases by targeting the circadian clock.

Vasopressinergic Activity of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus and mRNA Expression of Clock Genes in the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Female Aging

The important involvement of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the activity of vasopressinergic neurons in maintaining the rhythmicity of the female reproductive system depends on the mRNA transcription-translation feedback loops. Therefore, circadian clock function, like most physiological processes, is involved in the events that determine reproductive aging. This study describes the change of mRNA expression of clock genes, Per2, Bmal1, and Rev-erbα, in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG) of female rats with regular cycle (RC) and irregular cycle (IC), and the vasopressinergic neurons activity in the SCN and kisspeptin neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of these animals. Results for gonadotropins and the cFos/AVP-ir neurons in the SCN of IC were higher, but kisspeptin-ir was minor. Change in the temporal synchrony of the clock system in the HPG axis, during the period prior to the cessation of ovulatory cycles, was identified. The analysis of mRNA for Per2, Bmal1, and Rev-erbα in the reproductive axis of adult female rodents shows that the regularity of the estrous cycle is guaranteed by alternation in the amount of expression of Bmal1 and Per2, and Rev-erbα and Bmal1 between light and dark phases, which ceases to occur and contributes to determining reproductive senescence. These results showed that the desynchronization between the central and peripheral circadian clocks contributes to the irregularity of reproductive events. We suggest that the feedback loops of clock genes on the HPG axis modulate the spontaneous transition from regular to irregular cycle and to acyclicity in female rodents.

The Role of Circadian Misalignment due to Insomnia, Lack of Sleep, and Shift Work in Increasing the Risk of Cardiac Diseases: A Systematic Review

Around 121.5 million people suffer from cardiovascular diseases globally. The risk of cardiovascular diseases increases with advancing age in both genders. Circadian rhythm is responsible for a streamlined functioning of various body functions. Certain functions and hormones have their peak levels according to the biological day or night of circadian rhythm. Shift work and sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea can cause circadian misalignment that affects different metabolic, immunological, and cardiovascular functions, which ultimately increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. We systematically searched the online database PubMed to find papers on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from the past five years, evaluating the role of shift work and different sleep disorders in causing circadian misalignment and its effect on the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Fifty papers were shortlisted, and after the application of various inclusion and exclusion criteria, 18 papers were chosen; and then after a thorough analysis of the text, eight papers were selected for the review. All papers were evaluated for quality. Two papers focused on the effect of shift work on cardiovascular diseases, whereas five papers evaluated the role of sleep disorders on circadian rhythm and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Shift work and sleep-related disorders were found to cause circadian misalignment, and it was found to be associated with an increase in the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Managing these disorders can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Genome-wide association study suggests impact of chromosome 10 rs139401390 on kidney function in patients with coronary artery disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor for onset and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). Discovery of predisposing loci for kidney function in CAD patients was performed using a genome-wide association approach. Inclusion criteria were CAD with ≥50% stenosis (≥1 coronary artery) and a creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 30–75 ml/min/1.73 m². An association of rs139401390 located to a region 58.8 kb upstream of renalase (RNLS) with eGFR was detected in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study (n = 499, p = 7.88 × 10⁻⁹, mean eGFR 60.7 ml/min/1.73 m²). Direct genotyping of rs139401390A > G suggested increased eGFR by 12.0 ml/min/1.73 m² per A allele (p = 0.000004). Genome-wide replication of rs139401390A > G in the Coronary Artery Disease and Renal Failure (CAD-REF) registry with a mean eGFR of 47.8 ml/min/1.73 m² (n = 574, p = 0.033) was only nominally significant. Comparison of rs139401390 genotypes for risk of reduced kidney function in the overall LURIC study revealed higher adjusted odds ratios (OR) for eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m² for CAD patients (n = 1992, OR = 2.36, p = 0.008, G/A + G/G vs A/A) compared to patients with/without CAD (n = 2908, OR = 1.97, p = 0.014, G/A + G/G vs A/A). No significant risk elevation was detected in patients without CAD (n = 948, p = 0.571). rs139401390 may affect kidney function in CAD patients with mild reduction in eGFR.

Coupling the Circadian Clock to Homeostasis: The Role of Period in Timing Physiology

A plethora of physiological processes show stable and synchronized daily oscillations that are either driven or modulated by biological clocks. A circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the ventral hypothalamus coordinates 24-hour oscillations of central and peripheral physiology with the environment. The circadian clockwork involved in driving rhythmic physiology is composed of various clock genes that are interlocked via a complex feedback loop to generate precise yet plastic oscillations of ∼24 hours. This review focuses on the specific role of the core clockwork gene Period1 and its paralogs on intra-oscillator and extra-oscillator functions, including, but not limited to, hippocampus-dependent processes, cardiovascular function, appetite control, as well as glucose and lipid homeostasis. Alterations in Period gene function have been implicated in a wide range of physical and mental disorders. At the same time, a variety of conditions including metabolic disorders also impact clock gene expression, resulting in circadian disruptions, which in turn often exacerbates the disease state.

CLOCK and BMAL1 stabilize and activate RHOA to promote F-actin formation in cancer cells

Circadian genes control most of the physiological functions in cancer cells, including cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The CLOCK and BMAL1 complex plays a central role in circadian rhythms. Previous studies have shown that circadian genes may act as oncogenes or tumor-suppressor genes. In addition, F-actin, regulated by RHOA, has been shown to participate in tumor progression. However, the roles of the CLOCK and BMAL1 genes in the regulation of tumor progression via the RHOA-ROCK-CFL pathway remain largely unclear. Here we first indicate that the rearrangement of F-actin is regulated by CLOCK and BMAL1. We found that CLOCK and BMAL1 can upregulate RHOA expression by inhibiting CUL3-mediated ubiquitination and activate RHOA by reducing the interaction between RHOA and RhoGDI. Consequently, CLOCK and BMAL1 control the expression of the components of the RHOA-ROCK-CFL pathway, which alters the dynamics of F-actin/G-actin turnover and promotes cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In conclusion, our research proposes a novel insight into the role of CLOCK and BMAL1 in tumor cells.

Vasculature on the clock: Circadian rhythm and vascular dysfunction

The master mammalian circadian clock (i.e. central clock), located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, orchestrates the synchronization of the daily behavioural and physiological rhythms to better adapt the organism to the external environment in an anticipatory manner. This central clock is entrained by a variety of signals, the best established being light and food. However, circadian cycles are not simply the consequences of these two cues but are generated by endogenous circadian clocks. Indeed, clock machinery is found in mainly all tissues and cell types, including cells of the vascular system such as endothelial cells, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells and stem cells. This machinery physiologically contributes to modulate the daily vascular function, and its disturbance therefore plays a major role in the pathophysiology of vascular dysfunction. Therapies targeting the circadian rhythm may therefore be of benefit against vascular disease.

Regulation of vascular function and blood pressure by circadian variation in redox signalling

There is accumulating evidence that makes the link between the circadian variation in blood pressure and circadian variations in vascular contraction. The importance of vascular endothelium-derived redox-active and redox-derived species in the signalling pathways involved in controlling vascular smooth muscle contraction are well known, and when linked to the circadian variations in the processes involved in generating these species, suggests a cellular mechanism for the circadian variations in blood pressure that links directly to the peripheral circadian clock. Relaxation of vascular smooth muscle cells involves endothelial-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) which is nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), and endothelial-derived hyperpolarising factor (EDHF) which includes hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) produced by NADPH oxidase (Nox). Both of these enzymes appear to be under the direct control of the circadian clock mechanism in the endothelial cells, and disruption to the clock results in endothelial and vascular dysfunction. In this review, we focus on EDRF and EDHF and summarise the recent findings on the influence of the peripheral circadian clock mechanism on processes involved in generating the redox species involved and how this influences vascular contractility, which may account for some of the circadian variations in blood pressure and peripheral resistance. Moreover, the direct link between the peripheral circadian clock and redox-signalling pathways in the vasculature, has a bearing on vascular endothelial dysfunction in disease and aging, which are both known to lead to dysfunction of the circadian clock.

Redox regulation of circadian molecular clock in chronic airway diseases

At the cellular level, circadian timing is maintained by the molecular clock, a family of interacting clock gene transcription factors, nuclear receptors and kinases called clock genes. Daily rhythms in pulmonary function are dictated by the circadian timing system, including rhythmic susceptibility to the harmful effects of airborne pollutants, exacerbations in patients with chronic airway disease and the immune-inflammatory response to infection. Further, evidence strongly suggests that the circadian molecular clock has a robust reciprocal interaction with redox signaling and plays a considerable role in the response to oxidative/carbonyl stress. Disruption of the circadian timing system, particularly in airway cells, impairs pulmonary rhythms and lung function, enhances oxidative stress due to airway inhaled pollutants like cigarette smoke and airborne particulate matter and leads to enhanced inflammosenescence, inflammasome activation, DNA damage and fibrosis. Herein, we briefly review recent evidence supporting the role of the lung molecular clock and redox signaling in regulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and DNA damage responses in lung diseases and their exacerbations. We further describe the potential for clock genes as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the treatment of chronic lung diseases.

Deletion of BMAL1 in Smooth Muscle Cells Protects Mice From Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

OBJECTIVE

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has high mortality rate when ruptured, but currently, there is no proven pharmacological therapy for AAA because of our poor understanding of its pathogenesis. The current study explored a novel role of smooth muscle cell (SMC) BMAL1 (brain and muscle Arnt-like protein-1)-a transcription factor known to regulate circadian rhythm-in AAA development.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

SMC-selective deletion of BMAL1 potently protected mice from AAA induced by (1) MR (mineralocorticoid receptor) agonist deoxycorticosterone acetate or aldosterone plus high salt intake and (2) angiotensin II infusion in hypercholesterolemia mice. Aortic BMAL1 was upregulated by deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt, and deletion of BMAL1 in SMCs selectively upregulated TIMP4 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 4) and suppressed deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt-induced MMP (matrix metalloproteinase) activation and elastin breakages. Moreover, BMAL1 bound to the Timp4 promoter and suppressed Timp4 transcription.

CONCLUSIONS

These results reveal an important, but previously unexplored, role of SMC BMAL1 in AAA. Moreover, these results identify TIMP4 as a novel target of BMAL1, which may mediate the AAA protective effect of SMC BMAL1 deletion.

Time-of-day variation in vascular function

What is the topic of this review? This report looks at the role of endothelial nitric oxide signalling in the time-of-day variation in vasoconstriction of resistance vessels. What advances does it highlight? It highlights a time-of-day variation in contraction of mesenteric arteries, characterized by a reduced contractile response to either phenylephrine or high K(+) and increased relaxation in response to acetylcholine during the active period. This time-of-day variation in contraction results from a difference in endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) signalling that correlates with levels of eNOS expression, which peak during the active period and may have far reaching physiological consequences beyond regulation of blood pressure. There is a strong time-of-day variation in the vasoconstriction in response to sympathetic stimulation that may contribute to the time-of-day variation in blood pressure, which is characterized by a dip in blood pressure during the individual's rest period when sympathetic activity is low. Vasoconstriction is known to be regulated tightly by nitric oxide signalling from the endothelial cells, so we have looked at the effect of time-of-day on levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and vascular contractility. Mesenteric arteries isolated from the nocturnal rat exhibit a time-of-day variation in their contractile response to α1 -adrenoreceptor and muscarinic activation, which is characterized by a reduced vasoconstriction in response to phenylephrine and enhanced vasodilatation in response to acetylcholine during the rat's active period at night. An increase in eNOS signalling during the active period is responsible for this time-of-day difference in response to phenylephrine and acetylcholine and correlates with the large increase in eNOS expression (mRNA and protein) during the active period, possibly driven by the presence of a functioning peripheral circadian clock. This increase in eNOS signalling may function to limit the increase in peripheral resistance and therefore blood pressure during the increased sympathetic activity.

Protein phosphatases 1 and 2A and their naturally occurring inhibitors: current topics in smooth muscle physiology and chemical biology

Protein phosphatases 1 and 2A (PP1 and PP2A) are the most ubiquitous and abundant serine/threonine phosphatases in eukaryotic cells. They play fundamental roles in the regulation of various cellular functions. This review focuses on recent advances in the functional studies of these enzymes in the field of smooth muscle physiology. Many naturally occurring protein phosphatase inhibitors with different relative PP1/PP2A affinities have been discovered and are widely used as powerful research tools. Current topics in the chemical biology of PP1/PP2A inhibitors are introduced and discussed, highlighting the identification of the gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of calyculin A in a symbiont microorganism of a marine sponge.

Conditional Deletion of Bmal1 Accentuates Microvascular and Macrovascular Injury

The brain and muscle aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein (BMAL)-1 constitutes a major transcriptional regulator of the circadian clock. Here, we explored the impact of conditional deletion of Bmal1 in endothelium and hematopoietic cells in murine models of microvascular and macrovascular injury. We used two models of Bmal1fx/fx;Tek-Cre mice, a retinal ischemia/reperfusion model and a neointimal hyperplasia model of the femoral artery. Eyes were enumerated for acellular capillaries and were stained for oxidative damage markers using nitrotyrosine immunohistochemistry. LSK (lineage-negative, stem cell antigen-1-positive, c-Kit-positive) cells were quantified and proliferation assessed. Hematopoiesis is influenced by innervation to the bone marrow, which we assessed using IHC analysis. The number of acellular capillaries increased threefold, and nitrotyrosine staining increased 1.5-fold, in the retinas of Bmal1fx/fx;Tek-Cre mice. The number of LSK cells from the Bmal1fx/fx;Tek-Cre mice decreased by 1.5-fold and was accompanied by a profound decrease in proliferative potential. Bmal1fx/fx;Tek-Cre mice also exhibited evidence of bone marrow denervation, demonstrating a loss of neurofilament-200 staining. Injured femoral arteries showed a 20% increase in neointimal hyperplasia compared with similarly injured wild-type controls. Our study highlights the importance of the circadian clock in maintaining vascular homeostasis and demonstrates that specific deletion of BMAL1 in endothelial and hematopoietic cells results in phenotypic features similar to those of diabetes.

Circadian clocks, diets and aging

Diets and feeding regimens affect many physiological systems in the organism and may contribute to the development or prevention of various pathologies including cardiovascular diseases or metabolic syndromes. Some of the dietary paradigms, such as calorie restriction, have many well-documented positive metabolic effects as well as the potential to extend longevity in different organisms. Recently, the circadian clocks were put forward as integral components of the calorie restriction mechanisms. The circadian clocks generate the circadian rhythms in behavior, physiology, and metabolism; circadian disruption is associated with reduced fitness and decreased longevity. Here we focus on recent advances in the interplay between the circadian clocks and dietary paradigms. We discuss how the regulation of the circadian clocks by feeding/nutrients and regulation of nutrient signaling pathways by the clocks may contribute to the beneficial effects of calorie restriction on metabolism and longevity, and whether the circadian system can be engaged for future medical applications.

Obesity alters the peripheral circadian clock in the aorta and microcirculation

OBJECTIVE

Perturbation of daily rhythm increases cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to determine whether obesity alters circadian gene expression and microvascular function in lean mice and obese (db/db) mice.

METHODS

Mice were subjected to normal LD or DD to alter circadian rhythm. Metabolic parameters and microvascular vasoreactivity were evaluated. Array studies were conducted in the am and pm cycles to assess the rhythmicity of the entire genomics. Rhythmic expression of specific clock genes (Bmal1, Clock, Npas2, Per1, Per2, and Cry1), clock output genes (dbp), and vascular relaxation-related genes (eNOS, GTPCH1) were assessed.

RESULTS

Obesity was associated with metabolic dysfunction and impaired endothelial dilation in the microvasculature. Circadian rhythm of gene expression was suppressed 80% in both macro- and microcirculations of obese mice. Circadian disruption with DD increased fasting serum glucose and HbA1c in obese but not lean mice. Endothelium-dependent dilation was attenuated in obese mice and in lean mice subjected to DD. Rhythmic expression of per1 and dbp was depressed in obesity. Expression of eNOS expression was suppressed and GTPCH1 lost rhythmic expression both in obesity and by constant darkness.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that obesity reduces circadian gene expression in concert with impaired endothelial function. The causal relationship remains to be determined.

Circadian molecular clock in lung pathophysiology

Disrupted daily or circadian rhythms of lung function and inflammatory responses are common features of chronic airway diseases. At the molecular level these circadian rhythms depend on the activity of an autoregulatory feedback loop oscillator of clock gene transcription factors, including the BMAL1:CLOCK activator complex and the repressors PERIOD and CRYPTOCHROME. The key nuclear receptors and transcription factors REV-ERBα and RORα regulate Bmal1 expression and provide stability to the oscillator. Circadian clock dysfunction is implicated in both immune and inflammatory responses to environmental, inflammatory, and infectious agents. Molecular clock function is altered by exposomes, tobacco smoke, lipopolysaccharide, hyperoxia, allergens, bleomycin, as well as bacterial and viral infections. The deacetylase Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) regulates the timing of the clock through acetylation of BMAL1 and PER2 and controls the clock-dependent functions, which can also be affected by environmental stressors. Environmental agents and redox modulation may alter the levels of REV-ERBα and RORα in lung tissue in association with a heightened DNA damage response, cellular senescence, and inflammation. A reciprocal relationship exists between the molecular clock and immune/inflammatory responses in the lungs. Molecular clock function in lung cells may be used as a biomarker of disease severity and exacerbations or for assessing the efficacy of chronotherapy for disease management. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of clock-controlled cellular and molecular functions in the lungs and highlight the repercussions of clock disruption on the pathophysiology of chronic airway diseases and their exacerbations. Furthermore, we highlight the potential for the molecular clock as a novel chronopharmacological target for the management of lung pathophysiology.

Clocks and cardiovascular function

Circadian clocks in central and peripheral tissues enable the temporal synchronization and organization of molecular and physiological processes of rhythmic animals, allowing optimum functioning of cells and organisms at the most appropriate time of day. Disruption of circadian rhythms, from external or internal forces, leads to widespread biological disruption and is postulated to underlie many human conditions, such as the incidence and timing of cardiovascular disease. Here, we describe in vivo and in vitro methodology relevant to studying the role of circadian rhythms in cardiovascular function and dysfunction.

Smooth-muscle BMAL1 participates in blood pressure circadian rhythm regulation

As the central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) has long been considered the primary regulator of blood pressure circadian rhythm; however, this dogma has been challenged by the discovery that each of the clock genes present in the SCN is also expressed and functions in peripheral tissues. The involvement and contribution of these peripheral clock genes in the circadian rhythm of blood pressure remains uncertain. Here, we demonstrate that selective deletion of the circadian clock transcriptional activator aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like (Bmal1) from smooth muscle, but not from cardiomyocytes, compromised blood pressure circadian rhythm and decreased blood pressure without affecting SCN-controlled locomotor activity in murine models. In mesenteric arteries, BMAL1 bound to the promoter of and activated the transcription of Rho-kinase 2 (Rock2), and Bmal1 deletion abolished the time-of-day variations in response to agonist-induced vasoconstriction, myosin phosphorylation, and ROCK2 activation. Together, these data indicate that peripheral inputs contribute to the daily control of vasoconstriction and blood pressure and suggest that clock gene expression outside of the SCN should be further evaluated to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms of diseases involving blood pressure circadian rhythm disruption.

Mathematical modeling of light-mediated HPA axis activity and downstream implications on the entrainment of peripheral clock genes

In this work we propose a semimechanistic model that describes the photic signal transduction to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis that ultimately regulates the synchronization of peripheral clock genes (PCGs). Our HPA axis model predicts that photic stimulation induces a type-1 phase response curve to cortisol's profile with increased cortisol sensitivity to light exposure in its rising phase, as well as the shortening of cortisol's period as constant light increases (Aschoff's first rule). Furthermore, our model provides insight into cortisol's phase and amplitude dependence on photoperiods and reveals that cortisol maintains highest amplitude variability when it is entrained by a balanced schedule of light and dark periods. Importantly, by incorporating the links between HPA axis and PCGs we were able to investigate how cortisol secretion impacts the entrainment of a population of peripheral cells and show that disrupted light schedules, leading to blunted cortisol secretion, fail to synchronize a population of PCGs which further signifies the loss of circadian rhythmicity in the periphery of the body.

Circadian angiogenesis

Daily rhythms of light/darkness, activity/rest and feeding/fasting are important in human physiology and their disruption (for example by frequent changes between day and night shifts) increases the risk of disease. Many of the diseases found to be associated with such disrupted circadian lifestyles, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and neurological diseases, depend on pathological de-regulation of angiogenesis, suggesting that disrupting the circadian clock will impair the physiological regulation of angiogenesis leading to development and progression of these diseases. Today there is little known regarding circadian regulation of pathological angiogenesis but there is some evidence that supports both direct and indirect regulation of angiogenic factors by the cellular circadian clock machinery, as well as by circulating circadian factors, important for coordinating circadian rhythms in the organism. Through highlighting recent advances both in pre-clinical and clinical research on various diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disorders and obesity, we will here present an overview of the available knowledge on the importance of circadian regulation of angiogenesis and discuss how the circadian clock may provide alternative targets for pro- or anti-angiogenic therapy in the future.

Hyperlipidaemia impairs the circadian clock and physiological homeostasis of vascular smooth muscle cells via the suppression of Smarcd1

Many mammalian physiological processes show diurnal oscillation and are controlled by a circadian clock. Disruption of the circadian clock has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders, but the mechanism through which clock and vessel function are integrated is unclear. Here we show that the rhythmicity of key clock genes and Smarcd1, a member of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling complex family, is suppressed in the layer of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of the thoracic aorta of hyperlipidaemic rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Smarcd1 stimulates the transcription of clock genes, notably bmal1, through co-activation of the nuclear orphan receptor RORα in VSMCs. The co-activation of Smarcd1 and RORα is dependent on the mediation of PGC-1α, a transcriptional co-activator. Pathophysiologically, Smarcd1 inhibits VSMC proliferation and migration by blocking cell cycle re-entry and via the activation of kinase signalling pathways. Our results demonstrate that Smarcd1 is a critical node integrating the circadian clock and VSMC physiological homeostasis.

Time-restricted feeding and the realignment of biological rhythms: translational opportunities and challenges

It has been argued that circadian dysregulation is not only a critical inducer and promoter of adverse health effects, exacerbating symptom burden, but also hampers recovery. Therefore understanding the health-promoting roles of regulating (i.e., restoring) circadian rhythms, thus suppressing harmful effects of circadian dysregulation, would likely improve treatment. At a critical care setting it has been argued that studies are warranted to determine whether there is any use in restoring circadian rhythms in critically ill patients, what therapeutic goals should be targeted, and how these could be achieved. Particularly interesting are interventional approaches aiming at optimizing the time of feeding in relation to individualized day-night cycles for patients receiving enteral nutrition, in an attempt to re-establish circadian patterns of molecular expression. In this short review we wish to explore the idea of transiently imposing (appropriate, but yet to be determined) circadian rhythmicity via regulation of food intake as a means of exploring rhythm-setting properties of metabolic cues in the context of improving immune response. We highlight some of the key elements associated with his complex question particularly as they relate to: a) stress and rhythmic variability; and b) metabolic entrainment of peripheral tissues as a possible intervention strategy through time-restricted feeding. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities for translating these ideas to the bedside.

Possible contribution of chronobiology to cardiovascular health

The daily variations found in many aspects of physiology are collectively known as circadian rhythm (from "circa" meaning "about" and "dien" meaning "day"). Circadian oscillation in clock gene expression can generate quantitative or functional variations of the molecules directly involved in many physiological functions. This paper reviews the molecular mechanisms of the circadian clock, the transmission of circadian effects to cardiovascular functions, and the effects of circadian dysfunction on cardiovascular diseases. An evaluation of the operation of the internal clock is needed in clinical settings and will be an effective tool in the diagnosis of circadian rhythm disorders. Toward this end, we introduce a novel non-invasive method for assessing circadian time-regulation in human beings through the utilization of hair follicle cells.

The molecular clock regulates circadian transcription of tissue factor gene

Tissue factor (TF) is involved in endotoxin-induced inflammation and mortality. We found that the circadian expression of TF mRNA, which peaked at the day to night transition (activity onset), was damped in the liver of Clock mutant mice. Luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses using embryonic fibroblasts derived from wild-type or Clock mutant mice showed that CLOCK is involved in transcription of the TF gene. Furthermore, the results of real-time luciferase reporter experiments revealed that the circadian expression of TF mRNA is regulated by clock molecules through a cell-autonomous mechanism via an E-box element located in the promoter region.

The Angiotensin-melatonin axis

Accumulating evidence indicates that various biological and neuroendocrine circadian rhythms may be disrupted in cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. These circadian alterations may contribute to the progression of disease. Our studies direct to an important role of angiotensin II and melatonin in the modulation of circadian rhythms. The brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may modulate melatonin synthesis, a hormone with well-established roles in regulating circadian rhythms. Angiotensin production in the central nervous system may not only influence hypertension but also appears to affect the circadian rhythm of blood pressure. Drugs acting on RAS have been proven effective in the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders including hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM). On the other hand, since melatonin is capable of ameliorating metabolic abnormalities in DM and insulin resistance, the beneficial effects of RAS blockade could be improved through combined RAS blocker and melatonin therapy. Contemporary research is evidencing the existence of specific clock genes forming central and peripheral clocks governing circadian rhythms. Further research on the interaction between these two neurohormones and the clock genes governing circadian clocks may progress our understanding on the pathophysiology of disease with possible impact on chronotherapeutic strategies.

Per2 mutation recapitulates the vascular phenotype of diabetes in the retina and bone marrow

In this study, we assessed whether Per2 clock gene-mutant mice exhibit a vascular phenotype similar to diabetes. Per2 (B6.129-Per2(tm1Drw)/J) or wild-type control mice 4 and 12 months of age were used. To evaluate diabetes-like phenotype in Per2 mutant mice, retina was quantified for mRNA expression, and degree of diabetic retinopathy was evaluated. Bone marrow neuropathy was studied by staining femurs for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and neurofilament 200 (NF-200). The rate of proliferation and quantification of bone marrow progenitor cells (BMPCs) was performed, and a threefold decrease in proliferation and 50% reduction in nitric oxide levels were observed in Per2 mutant mice. TH-positive nerve processes and NF-200 staining were reduced in Per2 mutant mice. Both retinal protein and mRNA expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase were decreased by twofold. Other endothelial function genes (VEGFR2, VEGFR1) were downregulated (1.5-2-fold) in Per2 mutant retinas, whereas there was an upregulation of profibrotic pathway mediated by transforming growth factor-β1. Our studies suggest that Per2 mutant mice recapitulate key aspects of diabetes without the metabolic abnormalities, including retinal vascular damage, neuronal loss in the bone marrow, and diminished BMPC function.

Pivotal role of Rho-associated kinase 2 in generating the intrinsic circadian rhythm of vascular contractility

BACKGROUND

The circadian variation in the incidence of cardiovascular events may be attributable to the circadian changes in vascular contractility. The circadian rhythm of vascular contractility is determined by the interplay between the central and peripheral clocks. However, the molecular mechanism of the vascular intrinsic clock that generates the circadian rhythm of vascular contractility still remains largely unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The agonist-induced phosphorylation of myosin light chain in cultured smooth muscle cells synchronized by dexamethasone pulse treatment exhibited an apparent circadian oscillation, with a 25.4-hour cycle length. The pharmacological inhibition and knockdown of Rho-associated kinase 2 (ROCK2) abolished the circadian rhythm of myosin light chain phosphorylation. The expression and activity of ROCK2 exhibited a circadian rhythm in phase with that of myosin light chain phosphorylation. A clock gene, RORα, activated the promoter of the ROCK2 gene, whereas its knockdown abolished the rhythmic expression of ROCK2. In the mouse aorta, ROCK2 expression exhibited the circadian oscillation, with a peak at Zeitgeber time 0/24 and a nadir at Zeitgeber time 12. The myofilament Ca(2+) sensitization induced by GTPγS and U46619, a thromboxane A2 analog, at Zeitgeber time 0/24 was greater than that seen at Zeitgeber time 12. The circadian rhythm of ROCK2 expression and myofilament Ca(2+) sensitivity was abolished in staggerer mutant mice, which lack a functional RORα.

CONCLUSIONS

ROCK2 plays a pivotal role in generating the intrinsic circadian rhythm of vascular contractility by receiving a cue from RORα. The ROCK2-mediated intrinsic rhythm of vascular contractility may underlie the diurnal variation of the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiac atrial circadian rhythms in PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE and per1:luc mice: amplitude and phase responses to glucocorticoid signaling and medium treatment

Circadian rhythms in cardiac function are apparent in e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, and acute adverse cardiac events. A circadian clock in heart tissue has been identified, but entrainment pathways of this clock are still unclear. We cultured tissues of mice carrying bioluminescence reporters of the core clock genes, period 1 or 2 (per1^luc or PER2^LUC) and compared in vitro responses of atrium to treatment with medium and a synthetic glucocorticoid (dexamethasone [DEX]) to that of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and liver. We observed that PER2^LUC, but not per1^luc is rhythmic in atrial tissue, while both per1^luc and PER2^LUC exhibit rhythmicity in other cultured tissues. In contrast to the SCN and liver, both per1^luc and PER2^LUC bioluminescence amplitudes were increased in response to DEX treatment, and the PER2^LUC amplitude response was dependent on the time of treatment. Large phase-shift responses to both medium and DEX treatments were observed in the atrium, and phase responses to medium treatment were not attributed to serum content but the treatment procedure itself. The phase-response curves of atrium to both DEX and medium treatments were found to be different to the liver. Moreover, the time of day of the culturing procedure itself influenced the phase of the circadian clock in each of the cultured tissues, but the magnitude of this response was uniquely large in atrial tissue. The current data describe novel entrainment signals for the atrial circadian clock and specifically highlight entrainment by mechanical treatment, an intriguing observation considering the mechanical nature of cardiac tissue.

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 contributes to the regulation of 7-oxysterol levels in the arterial wall through the inter-conversion of 7-ketocholesterol and 7β-hydroxycholesterol

The atherogenic 7-oxysterols, 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) and 7β-hydroxycholesterol (7βOHC), can directly impair arterial function. Inter-conversion of 7-KC and 7βOHC has recently been shown as a novel role for the glucocorticoid-metabolizing enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1). Since this enzyme is expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells, we addressed the hypothesis that inter-conversion of 7-KC and 7βOHC by 11β-HSD1 may contribute to regulation of arterial function.

Incubation (4–24 h) of aortic rings with either 7-KC (25 μM) or 7βOHC (20 μM) had no effect on endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine) or -independent (sodium nitroprusside) relaxation. In contrast, exposure to 7-KC (but not to 7βOHC) attenuated noradrenaline-induced contraction (E_max) after 4 h (0.78 ± 0.28 vs 0.40 ± 0.08 mN/mm; p < 0.05) and 24 h (2.28 ± 0.34 vs 1.56 ± 0.48 mN/mm; p < 0.05). Both 7-oxysterols were detected by GCMS in the aortic wall of chow-fed C57Bl6/J mice, with concentrations of 7-KC (1.41 ± 0.81 ng/mg) higher (p = 0.05) than 7βOHC (0.16 ± 0.06 ng/mg). In isolated mouse aortic rings 11β-HSD1 was shown to act as an oxo-reductase, inter-converting 7-KC and 7βOHC. This activity was lost in aorta from 11β-HSD1^−/− mice, which had low oxysterol levels. Renal homogenates from 11β-HSD1^−/− mice were used to confirm that the type 2 isozyme of 11β-HSD does not inter-convert 7-KC and 7βOHC.

These results demonstrate that 7-KC has greater effects than 7βOHC on vascular function, and that 11β-HSD1 can inter-convert 7-KC and 7βOHC in the arterial wall, contributing to the regulation of 7-oxysterol levels and potentially influencing vascular function. This mechanism may be important in the cardioprotective effects of 11β-HSD1 inhibitors.

Entrainment of peripheral clock genes by cortisol

Circadian rhythmicity in mammals is primarily driven by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), often called the central pacemaker, which converts the photic information of light and dark cycles into neuronal and hormonal signals in the periphery of the body. Cells of peripheral tissues respond to these centrally mediated cues by adjusting their molecular function to optimize organism performance. Numerous systemic cues orchestrate peripheral rhythmicity, such as feeding, body temperature, the autonomic nervous system, and hormones. We propose a semimechanistic model for the entrainment of peripheral clock genes by cortisol as a representative entrainer of peripheral cells. This model demonstrates the importance of entrainer's characteristics in terms of the synchronization and entrainment of peripheral clock genes, and predicts the loss of intercellular synchrony when cortisol moves out of its homeostatic amplitude and frequency range, as has been observed clinically in chronic stress and cancer. The model also predicts a dynamic regime of entrainment, when cortisol has a slightly decreased amplitude rhythm, where individual clock genes remain relatively synchronized among themselves but are phase shifted in relation to the entrainer. The model illustrates how the loss of communication between the SCN and peripheral tissues could result in desynchronization of peripheral clocks.

Body temperature circadian rhythm variability corresponds to left ventricular systolic dysfunction in decompensated cardiomyopathic hamsters

BACKGROUND

A declining amplitude of body temperature circadian rhythm (BTCR) predicts decompensation or death in cardiomyopathic hamsters. We tested the hypothesis that changes in BTCR amplitude accompany significant changes in left ventricular (LV) size and function.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using intraperitoneal transmitters, we continuously monitored the temperature of 30 male BIO TO-2 Syrian dilated cardiomyopathic hamsters. Cosinor analysis was used to detect significant changes--defined as changes >1 standard deviation from the baseline amplitude for 3 consecutive days--in BTCR amplitude over each hamster's lifespan. The Student t-test was used to compare BTCR variability and LV size and function (as assessed by 2D echocardiography) between baseline and the time that BTCR amplitude declined. All hamsters received 10 mg/kg furosemide daily. At the time of BTCR amplitude decline, functional parameters had changed significantly (P < .0001) from baseline: ejection fraction (0.31 ± 0.09% vs. 0.52 ± 0.08%), LV end-systolic volume (0.11 ± 0.03 vs. 0.05 ± 0.02 cm(3)), and LV end-diastolic volume (0.16 ± 0.04 vs. 0.10 ± 0.03 cm(3)).

CONCLUSIONS

In decompensated cardiomyopathic hamsters, a decline in BTCR amplitude was associated with progression of heart failure and cardiac decompensation. Variation in BTCR warrants further investigation because of its potential implications for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disorders.