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Earnhardt-San AL, Baker EC, Riley DG, Ghaffari N, Long CR, Cardoso RC, Randel RD, Welsh TH. Differential Expression of Circadian Clock Genes in the Bovine Neuroendocrine Adrenal System. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2082. [PMID: 38003025 PMCID: PMC10670998 DOI: 10.3390/genes14112082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of circadian rhythm clock gene expression outside the suprachiasmatic nucleus is increasing. The purpose of this study was to determine whether expression of circadian clock genes differed within or among the bovine stress axis tissues (e.g., amygdala, hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal cortex, and adrenal medulla). Tissues were obtained at an abattoir from eight mature nonpregnant Brahman cows that had been maintained in the same pasture and nutritional conditions. Sample tissues were stored in RNase-free sterile cryovials at -80 °C until the total RNA was extracted, quantified, assessed, and sequenced (NovaSeq 6000 system; paired-end 150 bp cycles). The trimmed reads were then mapped to a Bos taurus (B. taurus) reference genome (Umd3.1). Further analysis used the edgeR package. Raw gene count tables were read into RStudio, and low-expression genes were filtered out using the criteria of three minimum reads per gene in at least five samples. Normalization factors were then calculated using the trimmed mean of M values method to produce normalized gene counts within each sample tissue. The normalized gene counts important for a circadian rhythm were analyzed within and between each tissue of the stress axis using the GLM and CORR procedures of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). The relative expression profiles of circadian clock genes differed (p < 0.01) within each tissue, with neuronal PAS domain protein 2 (NPAS2) having greater expression in the amygdala (p < 0.01) and period circadian regulator (PER1) having greater expression in all other tissues (p < 0.01). The expression among tissues also differed (p < 0.01) for individual circadian clock genes, with circadian locomotor output cycles protein kaput (CLOCK) expression being greater within the adrenal tissues and nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 1 (NR1D1) expression being greater within the other tissues (p < 0.01). Overall, the results indicate that within each tissue, the various circadian clock genes were differentially expressed, in addition to being differentially expressed among the stress tissues of mature Brahman cows. Future use of these findings may assist in improving livestock husbandry and welfare by understanding interactions of the environment, stress responsiveness, and peripheral circadian rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey L. Earnhardt-San
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (A.L.E.-S.); (E.C.B.); (D.G.R.); (R.C.C.)
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Overton, TX 75684, USA; (C.R.L.); (R.D.R.)
| | - Emilie C. Baker
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (A.L.E.-S.); (E.C.B.); (D.G.R.); (R.C.C.)
| | - David G. Riley
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (A.L.E.-S.); (E.C.B.); (D.G.R.); (R.C.C.)
| | - Noushin Ghaffari
- Department of Computer Science, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77070, USA;
| | - Charles R. Long
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Overton, TX 75684, USA; (C.R.L.); (R.D.R.)
| | - Rodolfo C. Cardoso
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (A.L.E.-S.); (E.C.B.); (D.G.R.); (R.C.C.)
| | - Ronald D. Randel
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Overton, TX 75684, USA; (C.R.L.); (R.D.R.)
| | - Thomas H. Welsh
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (A.L.E.-S.); (E.C.B.); (D.G.R.); (R.C.C.)
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Small L, Lundell LS, Iversen J, Ehrlich AM, Dall M, Basse AL, Dalbram E, Hansen AN, Treebak JT, Barrès R, Zierath JR. Seasonal light hours modulate peripheral clocks and energy metabolism in mice. Cell Metab 2023; 35:1722-1735.e5. [PMID: 37689069 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Except for latitudes close to the equator, seasonal variation in light hours can change dramatically between summer and winter. Yet investigations into the interplay between energy metabolism and circadian rhythms typically use a 12 h light:12 h dark photoperiod corresponding to the light duration at the equator. We hypothesized that altering the seasonal photoperiod affects both the rhythmicity of peripheral tissue clocks and energy homeostasis. Mice were housed at photoperiods representing either light hours in summer, winter, or the equinox. Mice housed at a winter photoperiod exhibited an increase in the amplitude of rhythmic lipid metabolism and a modest reduction in fat mass and liver triglyceride content. Comparing melatonin-proficient and -deficient mice, the effect of seasonal light on energy metabolism was largely driven by differences in the rhythmicity of food intake and not melatonin. Together, these data indicate that seasonal light impacts energy metabolism by modulating the timing of eating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewin Small
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Leonidas S Lundell
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jo Iversen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Amy M Ehrlich
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Dall
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Astrid L Basse
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emilie Dalbram
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ann N Hansen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas T Treebak
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Romain Barrès
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université Côte d'Azur and CNRS, Nice, France.
| | - Juleen R Zierath
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Grosjean E, Simonneaux V, Challet E. Reciprocal Interactions between Circadian Clocks, Food Intake, and Energy Metabolism. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040539. [PMID: 37106739 PMCID: PMC10136292 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Like other biological functions, food intake and energy metabolism display daily rhythms controlled by the circadian timing system that comprises a main circadian clock and numerous secondary clocks in the brain and peripheral tissues. Each secondary circadian clock delivers local temporal cues based on intracellular transcriptional and translational feedback loops that are tightly interconnected to intracellular nutrient-sensing pathways. Genetic impairment of molecular clocks and alteration in the rhythmic synchronizing cues, such as ambient light at night or mistimed meals, lead to circadian disruption that, in turn, negatively impacts metabolic health. Not all circadian clocks are sensitive to the same synchronizing signals. The master clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus is mostly synchronized by ambient light and, to a lesser extent, by behavioral cues coupled to arousal and exercise. Secondary clocks are generally phase-shifted by timed metabolic cues associated with feeding, exercise, and changes in temperature. Furthermore, both the master and secondary clocks are modulated by calorie restriction and high-fat feeding. Taking into account the regularity of daily meals, the duration of eating periods, chronotype, and sex, chrononutritional strategies may be useful for improving the robustness of daily rhythmicity and maintaining or even restoring the appropriate energy balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Grosjean
- Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, CNRS UPR3212, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Valérie Simonneaux
- Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, CNRS UPR3212, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Etienne Challet
- Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, CNRS UPR3212, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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Shao S, Zhao H, Lu Z, Lei X, Zhang Y. Circadian Rhythms Within the Female HPG Axis: From Physiology to Etiology. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6298422. [PMID: 34125877 PMCID: PMC8256628 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Declining female fertility has become a global health concern. It results partially from an abnormal circadian clock caused by unhealthy diet and sleep habits in modern life. The circadian clock system is a hierarchical network consisting of central and peripheral clocks. It not only controls the sleep-wake and feeding-fasting cycles but also coordinates and maintains the required reproductive activities in the body. Physiologically, the reproductive processes are governed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in a time-dependent manner. The HPG axis releases hormones, generates female characteristics, and achieves fertility. Conversely, an abnormal daily rhythm caused by aberrant clock genes or abnormal environmental stimuli contributes to disorders of the female reproductive system, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and premature ovarian insufficiency. Therefore, breaking the "time code" of the female reproductive system is crucial. In this paper, we review the interplay between circadian clocks and the female reproductive system and present its regulatory principles, moving from normal physiology regulation to disease etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyi Shao
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Huanqiang Zhao
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Zhiying Lu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Xiaohong Lei
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Correspondence: Dr. Ying Zhang, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Fangxie Road 419, Huangpu District, Shanghai, 200011, China.
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Woller A, Gonze D. Circadian Misalignment and Metabolic Disorders: A Story of Twisted Clocks. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10030207. [PMID: 33801795 PMCID: PMC8001388 DOI: 10.3390/biology10030207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary In mammals, many physiological processes follow a 24 h rhythmic pattern. These rhythms are governed by a complex network of circadian clocks, which perceives external time cues (notably light and nutrients) and adjusts the timing of metabolic and physiological functions to allow a proper adaptation of the organism to the daily changes in the environmental conditions. Circadian rhythms originate at the cellular level through a transcriptional–translational regulatory network involving a handful of clock genes. In this review, we show how adverse effects caused by ill-timed feeding or jet lag can lead to a dysregulation of this genetic clockwork, which in turn results in altered metabolic regulation and possibly in diseases. We also show how computational modeling can complement experimental observations to understand the design of the clockwork and the onset of metabolic disorders. Abstract Biological clocks are cell-autonomous oscillators that can be entrained by periodic environmental cues. This allows organisms to anticipate predictable daily environmental changes and, thereby, to partition physiological processes into appropriate phases with respect to these changing external conditions. Nowadays our 24/7 society challenges this delicate equilibrium. Indeed, many studies suggest that perturbations such as chronic jet lag, ill-timed eating patterns, or shift work increase the susceptibility to cardiometabolic disorders, diabetes, and cancers. However the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. A deeper understanding of this complex, dynamic system requires a global holistic approach for which mathematical modeling can be highly beneficial. In this review, we summarize several experimental works pertaining to the effect of adverse conditions on clock gene expression and on physiology, and we show how computational models can bring interesting insights into the links between circadian misalignment and metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurore Woller
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel;
| | - Didier Gonze
- Unité de Chronobiologie Théorique, Faculté des Sciences CP 231, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bvd du Triomphe, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
- Correspondence:
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Nuclear Receptors as Regulators of Pituitary Corticotroph Pro-Opiomelanocortin Transcription. Cells 2020; 9:cells9040900. [PMID: 32272677 PMCID: PMC7226830 DOI: 10.3390/cells9040900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis plays a critical role in adaptive stress responses and maintaining organism homeostasis. The pituitary corticotroph is the central player in the HPA axis and is regulated by a plethora of hormonal and stress related factors that synergistically interact to activate and temper pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) transcription, to either increase or decrease adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) production and secretion as needed. Nuclear receptors are a family of highly conserved transcription factors that can also be induced by various physiologic signals, and they mediate their responses via multiple targets to regulate metabolism and homeostasis. In this review, we summarize the modulatory roles of nuclear receptors on pituitary corticotroph cell POMC transcription, describe the unique and complex role these factors play in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA) regulation and discuss potential therapeutic targets in disease states.
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Le Tissier P, Fiordelisio Coll T, Mollard P. The Processes of Anterior Pituitary Hormone Pulse Generation. Endocrinology 2018; 159:3524-3535. [PMID: 30020429 DOI: 10.1210/en.2018-00508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
More than 60 years ago, Geoffrey Harris described his "neurohumoral theory," in which the regulation of pituitary hormone secretion was a "simple" hierarchal relationship, with the hypothalamus as the controller. In models based on this theory, the electrical activity of hypothalamic neurons determines the release of hypophysiotropic hormones into the portal circulation, and the pituitary simply responds with secretion of a pulse of hormone into the bloodstream. The development of methodologies allowing the monitoring of the activities of members of the hypothalamic-vascular-pituitary unit is increasingly allowing dissection of the mechanisms generating hypothalamic and pituitary pulses. These have revealed that whereas hypothalamic input is required, its role as a driver of pulsatile pituitary hormone secretion varies between pituitary axes. The organization of pituitary cells has a key role in the modification of their response to hypophysiotropic factors that can lead to a memory of previous demand and enhanced function. Feedback can lead to oscillatory hormone output that is independent of pulses of hypophysiotropic factors and instead, results from the temporal relationship between pituitary output and target organ response. Thus, the mechanisms underlying the generation of pulses cannot be generalized, and the circularity of feedforward and feedback interactions must be considered to understand both normal physiological function and pathology. We describe some examples of the clinical implications of recognizing the importance of the pituitary and target organs in pulse generation and suggest avenues for future research in both the short and long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Le Tissier
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Tatiana Fiordelisio Coll
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología Comparada, Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, México City, Distrito Federal, México
| | - Patrice Mollard
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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Oster H, Challet E, Ott V, Arvat E, de Kloet ER, Dijk DJ, Lightman S, Vgontzas A, Van Cauter E. The Functional and Clinical Significance of the 24-Hour Rhythm of Circulating Glucocorticoids. Endocr Rev 2017; 38:3-45. [PMID: 27749086 PMCID: PMC5563520 DOI: 10.1210/er.2015-1080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 294] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Adrenal glucocorticoids are major modulators of multiple functions, including energy metabolism, stress responses, immunity, and cognition. The endogenous secretion of glucocorticoids is normally characterized by a prominent and robust circadian (around 24 hours) oscillation, with a daily peak around the time of the habitual sleep-wake transition and minimal levels in the evening and early part of the night. It has long been recognized that this 24-hour rhythm partly reflects the activity of a master circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. In the past decade, secondary circadian clocks based on the same molecular machinery as the central master pacemaker were found in other brain areas as well as in most peripheral tissues, including the adrenal glands. Evidence is rapidly accumulating to indicate that misalignment between central and peripheral clocks has a host of adverse effects. The robust rhythm in circulating glucocorticoid levels has been recognized as a major internal synchronizer of the circadian system. The present review examines the scientific foundation of these novel advances and their implications for health and disease prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Oster
- Medical Department I (H.O., V.O.), University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience (E.C.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism (E.A.), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (E.R.d.K.), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Surrey Sleep Research Center (D.-J.D.), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XP, United Kingdom; Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology (S.L.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; Sleep Research and Treatment Center (A.V.), Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; and Sleep, Metabolism, and Health Center (E.V.C.), Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Etienne Challet
- Medical Department I (H.O., V.O.), University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience (E.C.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism (E.A.), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (E.R.d.K.), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Surrey Sleep Research Center (D.-J.D.), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XP, United Kingdom; Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology (S.L.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; Sleep Research and Treatment Center (A.V.), Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; and Sleep, Metabolism, and Health Center (E.V.C.), Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Volker Ott
- Medical Department I (H.O., V.O.), University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience (E.C.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism (E.A.), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (E.R.d.K.), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Surrey Sleep Research Center (D.-J.D.), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XP, United Kingdom; Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology (S.L.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; Sleep Research and Treatment Center (A.V.), Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; and Sleep, Metabolism, and Health Center (E.V.C.), Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Emanuela Arvat
- Medical Department I (H.O., V.O.), University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience (E.C.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism (E.A.), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (E.R.d.K.), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Surrey Sleep Research Center (D.-J.D.), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XP, United Kingdom; Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology (S.L.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; Sleep Research and Treatment Center (A.V.), Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; and Sleep, Metabolism, and Health Center (E.V.C.), Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - E Ronald de Kloet
- Medical Department I (H.O., V.O.), University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience (E.C.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism (E.A.), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (E.R.d.K.), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Surrey Sleep Research Center (D.-J.D.), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XP, United Kingdom; Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology (S.L.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; Sleep Research and Treatment Center (A.V.), Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; and Sleep, Metabolism, and Health Center (E.V.C.), Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Derk-Jan Dijk
- Medical Department I (H.O., V.O.), University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience (E.C.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism (E.A.), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (E.R.d.K.), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Surrey Sleep Research Center (D.-J.D.), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XP, United Kingdom; Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology (S.L.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; Sleep Research and Treatment Center (A.V.), Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; and Sleep, Metabolism, and Health Center (E.V.C.), Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Stafford Lightman
- Medical Department I (H.O., V.O.), University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience (E.C.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism (E.A.), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (E.R.d.K.), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Surrey Sleep Research Center (D.-J.D.), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XP, United Kingdom; Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology (S.L.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; Sleep Research and Treatment Center (A.V.), Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; and Sleep, Metabolism, and Health Center (E.V.C.), Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Alexandros Vgontzas
- Medical Department I (H.O., V.O.), University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience (E.C.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism (E.A.), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (E.R.d.K.), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Surrey Sleep Research Center (D.-J.D.), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XP, United Kingdom; Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology (S.L.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; Sleep Research and Treatment Center (A.V.), Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; and Sleep, Metabolism, and Health Center (E.V.C.), Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Eve Van Cauter
- Medical Department I (H.O., V.O.), University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience (E.C.), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism (E.A.), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, 10043 Turin, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (E.R.d.K.), Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; Surrey Sleep Research Center (D.-J.D.), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XP, United Kingdom; Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology (S.L.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; Sleep Research and Treatment Center (A.V.), Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033; and Sleep, Metabolism, and Health Center (E.V.C.), Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
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Hardeland R. Melatonin and the pathologies of weakened or dysregulated circadian oscillators. J Pineal Res 2017; 62. [PMID: 27763686 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Dynamic aspects of melatonin's actions merit increasing future attention. This concerns particularly entirely different effects in senescent, weakened oscillators and in dysregulated oscillators of cancer cells that may be epigenetically blocked. This is especially obvious in the case of sirtuin 1, which is upregulated by melatonin in aged tissues, but strongly downregulated in several cancer cells. These findings are not at all controversial, but are explained on the basis of divergent changes in weakened and dysregulated oscillators. Similar findings can be expected to occur in other accessory oscillator components that are modulated by melatonin, among them several transcription factors and metabolic sensors. Another cause of opposite effects concerns differences between nocturnally active laboratory rodents and the diurnally active human. This should be more thoroughly considered in the field of metabolic syndrome and related pathologies, especially with regard to type 2 diabetes and other aspects of insulin resistance. Melatonin was reported to impair glucose tolerance in humans, especially in carriers of the risk allele of the MT2 receptor gene, MTNR1B, that contains the SNP rs10830963. These findings contrast with numerous reports on improvements of glucose tolerance in preclinical studies. However, the relationship between melatonin and insulin may be more complex, as indicated by loss-of-function mutants of the MT2 receptor that are also prodiabetic, by the age-dependent time course of risk allele overexpression, by progressive reduction in circadian amplitudes and melatonin secretion, which are aggravated in diabetes. By supporting high-amplitude rhythms, melatonin may be beneficial in preventing or delaying diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Hardeland
- Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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10
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Honma A, Yamada Y, Nakamaru Y, Fukuda S, Honma KI, Honma S. Glucocorticoids Reset the Nasal Circadian Clock in Mice. Endocrinology 2015; 156:4302-11. [PMID: 26360505 DOI: 10.1210/en.2015-1490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The symptoms of allergic rhinitis show marked day-night changes that are likely to be under the control of the circadian clock, but the mechanism of this control is poorly understood. Because most peripheral tissues have endogenous circadian clocks, we examined the circadian rhythm of the clock gene product PERIOD2 (PER2) in the nasal mucosa of male mice using a luciferase reporter and demonstrated for the first time the phase-dependent effects of dexamethasone (DEX) on nasal PER2 rhythm in vivo and ex vivo. The phase shifts in PER2 rhythm caused by DEX were observed around the peak phase of serum glucocorticoids, suggesting that the circadian rhythm of endogenous glucocorticoids regulates the peripheral clock of the mouse nasal mucosa. From the viewpoint of circadian physiology, the best time to administer intranasal steroid treatment for allergic rhinitis would be when no phase shift is caused by DEX: in the early evening in diurnal humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Honma
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (A.H., Y.N., S.F.) and Chronomedicine (A.H., Y.Y., K.-i.H., S.H.), Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Yamada
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (A.H., Y.N., S.F.) and Chronomedicine (A.H., Y.Y., K.-i.H., S.H.), Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yuji Nakamaru
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (A.H., Y.N., S.F.) and Chronomedicine (A.H., Y.Y., K.-i.H., S.H.), Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Satoshi Fukuda
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (A.H., Y.N., S.F.) and Chronomedicine (A.H., Y.Y., K.-i.H., S.H.), Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ken-ichi Honma
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (A.H., Y.N., S.F.) and Chronomedicine (A.H., Y.Y., K.-i.H., S.H.), Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Sato Honma
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (A.H., Y.N., S.F.) and Chronomedicine (A.H., Y.Y., K.-i.H., S.H.), Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Hokkaido, Japan
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11
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Sabath E, Báez-Ruiz A, Buijs RM. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as a consequence of autonomic imbalance and circadian desynchronization. Obes Rev 2015. [PMID: 26214605 DOI: 10.1111/obr.12308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The circadian system, headed by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, synchronizes behaviour and metabolism according to the external light-dark cycle through neuroendocrine and autonomic signals. Metabolic diseases, such as steatosis, obesity and glucose intolerance, have been associated with conditions of circadian misalignment wherein the feeding schedule has been moved to the resting phase. Here we describe the physiological processes involved in liver lipid accumulation and show how they follow a circadian pattern importantly regulated by both the autonomic nervous system and the feeding-fasting cycle. We propose that an unbalanced activity of the sympathetic-parasympathetic branches between organs induced by circadian misalignment provides the conditions for the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Sabath
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - A Báez-Ruiz
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - R M Buijs
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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12
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Chassard D, Bur I, Poirel VJ, Mendoza J, Simonneaux V. Evidence for a Putative Circadian Kiss-Clock in the Hypothalamic AVPV in Female Mice. Endocrinology 2015; 156:2999-3011. [PMID: 25993523 DOI: 10.1210/en.2014-1769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The kisspeptin (Kp) neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) are essential for the preovulatory LH surge, which is gated by circulating estradiol (E2) and the time of day. We investigated whether AVPV Kp neurons in intact female mice may be the site in which both E2 and daily signals are integrated and whether these neurons may host a circadian oscillator involved in the timed LH surge. In the afternoon of proestrous day, Kp immunoreactivity displayed a marked and transient decrease 2 hours before the LH surge. In contrast, Kp content was stable throughout the day of diestrus, when LH levels are constantly low. AVPV Kp neurons expressed the clock protein period 1 (PER1) with a daily rhythm that is phase delayed compared with the PER1 rhythm measured in the main clock of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). PER1 rhythm in the AVPV, but not in the SCN, exhibited a significant phase delay of 2.8 hours in diestrus as compared with proestrus. Isolated Kp-expressing AVPV explants from PER2::LUCIFERASE mice displayed sustained circadian oscillations of bioluminescence with a circadian period (23.2 h) significantly shorter than that of SCN explants (24.5 h). Furthermore, in AVPV explants incubated with E2 (10 nM to 1 μM), the circadian period was lengthened by 1 hour, whereas the SCN clock remained unaltered. In conclusion, these findings indicate that AVPV Kp neurons display an E2-dependent daily rhythm, which may possibly be driven by an intrinsic circadian clock acting in combination with the SCN timing signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Chassard
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (Unité Propre de Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité 3212); Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Isabelle Bur
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (Unité Propre de Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité 3212); Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Vincent-Joseph Poirel
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (Unité Propre de Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité 3212); Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Jorge Mendoza
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (Unité Propre de Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité 3212); Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Valérie Simonneaux
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (Unité Propre de Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité 3212); Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
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13
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Lin XW, Blum ID, Storch KF. Clocks within the Master Gland: Hypophyseal Rhythms and Their Physiological Significance. J Biol Rhythms 2015; 30:263-76. [PMID: 25926680 DOI: 10.1177/0748730415580881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Various aspects of mammalian endocrine physiology show a time-of-day variation with a period of 24 h, which represents an adaptation to the daily environmental fluctuations resulting from the rotation of the earth. These 24-h rhythms in hormone abundance and consequently hormone function may rely on rhythmic signals produced by the master circadian clock, which resides in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and is thought to chiefly dictate the pattern of rest and activity in mammals in conjunction with the light/dark (LD) cycle. However, it is likely that clocks intrinsic to elements of the endocrine axes also contribute to the 24-h rhythms in hormone function. Here we review the evidence for rhythm generation in the endocrine master gland, the pituitary, and its physiological significance in the context of endocrine axes regulation and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Wei Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ian David Blum
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kai-Florian Storch
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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14
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Kim JH, White SL, Devlin RH. Interaction of growth hormone overexpression and nutritional status on pituitary gland clock gene expression in coho salmon,Oncorhynchus kisutch. Chronobiol Int 2014; 32:113-27. [DOI: 10.3109/07420528.2014.958160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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15
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Razzoli M, Karsten C, Yoder JM, Bartolomucci A, Engeland WC. Chronic subordination stress phase advances adrenal and anterior pituitary clock gene rhythms. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2014; 307:R198-205. [PMID: 24829500 PMCID: PMC4101617 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00101.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms in glucocorticoids are the product of interactions between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the mammalian clock gene system. The adrenal clock can generate the glucocorticoid rhythm that in turn synchronizes other peripheral clocks to maintain homeostasis. Stress acutely activates and chronically upregulates the HPA axis, suggesting that the adrenal clock could be modulated by stress. However, there is no direct evidence that stress affects the adrenal clock rhythm. We tested the hypothesis that a model of chronic subordination stress (CSS) that has a major impact on HPA axis regulation, metabolism, and emotional behavior alters adrenal and pituitary clock gene rhythms. Clock gene rhythms were assessed using mPER2::Luciferase (PER2Luc) knockin mice in which in vitro bioluminescence rhythms reflect the Per2 clock gene expression. PER2Luc mice that experienced CSS for 2 wk showed positive energy balance reflected by increased body weight and food intake. Additionally, CSS phase advanced the adrenal (∼2 h) and the pituitary (∼1 h) PER2Luc rhythm compared with control mice. The activity rhythm was not affected. The adrenal clock phase shift was associated with increased feed conversion efficiency, suggesting that the metabolic phenotype in CSS mice may be related to altered adrenal clock rhythmicity. Interestingly, a single subordination experience followed by 8 h sensory housing also phase advanced the adrenal, but not the pituitary, PER2Luc rhythm. Overall, these data demonstrate a stress-induced phase shift in a peripheral clock gene rhythm and differential stress sensitivity of two peripheral clocks within the HPA axis, suggesting a link between clock desynchrony and individual vulnerability to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Razzoli
- Departments of Integrative Biology and Physiology and
| | - Carley Karsten
- Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - J Marina Yoder
- Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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16
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Metabolic consequences of timed feeding in mice. Physiol Behav 2014; 128:188-201. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2013] [Revised: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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17
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Chu A, Zhu L, Blum ID, Mai O, Leliavski A, Fahrenkrug J, Oster H, Boehm U, Storch KF. Global but not gonadotrope-specific disruption of Bmal1 abolishes the luteinizing hormone surge without affecting ovulation. Endocrinology 2013; 154:2924-35. [PMID: 23736292 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-1080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although there is evidence for a circadian regulation of the preovulatory LH surge, the contributions of individual tissue clocks to this process remain unclear. We studied female mice deficient in the Bmal1 gene (Bmal1(-/-)), which is essential for circadian clock function, and found that they lack the proestrous LH surge. However, spontaneous ovulation on the day of estrus was unaffected in these animals. Bmal1(-/-) females were also deficient in the proestrous FSH surge, which, like the LH surge, is GnRH-dependent. In the absence of circadian or external timing cues, Bmal1(-/-) females continued to cycle in constant darkness albeit with increased cycle length and time spent in estrus. Because pituitary gonadotropes are the source of circulating LH and FSH, we assessed hypophyseal circadian clock function and found that female pituitaries rhythmically express clock components throughout all cycle stages. To determine the role of the gonadotrope clock in the preovulatory LH and FSH surge process, we generated mice that specifically lack BMAL1 in gonadotropes (GBmal1KO). GBmal1KO females exhibited a modest elevation in both proestrous and baseline LH levels across all estrous stages. BMAL1 elimination from gonadotropes also led to increased variability in estrous cycle length, yet GBmal1KO animals were otherwise reproductively normal. Together our data suggest that the intrinsic clock in gonadotropes is dispensable for LH surge regulation but contributes to estrous cycle robustness. Thus, clocks in the suprachiasmatic nucleus or elsewhere must be involved in the generation of the LH surge, which, surprisingly, is not required for spontaneous ovulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne Chu
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute and Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H4H 1R3, Canada
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18
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Wunderer F, Kühne S, Jilg A, Ackermann K, Sebesteny T, Maronde E, Stehle JH. Clock gene expression in the human pituitary gland. Endocrinology 2013; 154:2046-57. [PMID: 23584858 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-2274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Pituitary function relies on strictly timed, yet plastic mechanisms, particularly with respect to the daytime-dependent coordination of hormone synthesis and release. In other systems, clock genes and their protein products are well-described candidates to anticipate the daily demands in neuroendocrine coupling and to manage cellular adaptation on changing internal or external circumstances. To elucidate possible mechanisms of time management, a total of 52 human autoptic pituitary glands were allocated to the 4 time-of-day groups, night, dawn, day, and dusk, according to reported time of death. The observed daytime-dependent dynamics in ACTH content supports a postmortem conservation of the premortem condition, and thus, principally validates the investigation of autoptic pituitary glands. Pituitary extracts were investigated for expression of clock genes Per1, Cry1, Clock, and Bmal1 and corresponding protein products. Only the clock gene Per1 showed daytime-dependent differences in quantitative real-time PCR analyses, with decreased levels observed during dusk. Although the overall amount in clock gene protein products PER1, CRY1, and CLOCK did not fluctuate with time of day in human pituitary, an indication for a temporally parallel intracellular translocation of PER1 and CRY1 was detected by immunofluorescence. Presented data suggest that the observed clock gene expression in human pituitary cells does not provide evidence for a functional intrinsic clockwork. It is suggested that clock genes and their protein products may be directly involved in the daytime-dependent regulation and adaptation of hormone synthesis and release and within homeostatic adaptive plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Wunderer
- Institute of Anatomy III, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
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19
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Zmrzljak UP, Korenčič A, Košir R, Goličnik M, Sassone-Corsi P, Rozman D. Inducible cAMP early repressor regulates the Period 1 gene of the hepatic and adrenal clocks. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:10318-10327. [PMID: 23443664 PMCID: PMC3624415 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.445692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2012] [Revised: 02/23/2013] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Light, restricted feeding, and hormonal inputs may operate as time givers (zeitgebers) for the circadian clock within peripheral organs through the activation of tissue-specific signaling cascades. cAMP signaling through CREM (cAMP-responsive element modulator) and its variant ICER (inducible cAMP early repressor) is linked to the circadian regulation of pineal melatonin synthesis, although little is known about its influence in other organs. We performed experiments in the absence of light and feeding-time cues to test which core clock genes are controlled by CREM/ICER in the liver and adrenal gland. In vivo, Crem loss-of-function mutation resulted in fine-tuning of all measured adrenal clock genes (Per1/2/3, Cry1/2, Bmal1, and Rev-erbα), whereas only Per1 and Cry1 were affected in the liver. Icer expression was circadian in the adrenal gland, with peak gene expression at zeitgeber 12 and the highest protein levels at zeitgeber ∼20. The expression of both Icer and Per1 genes responded to cAMP stimuli in an immediate-early fashion. In immortal cells, forskolin induced expression of Per1 after 2 h, and de novo protein synthesis led to Per1 attenuation. We show that the de novo synthesized protein responsible for Per1 attenuation is ICER. Indeed, Per1 expression is up-regulated in cells ectopically expressing antisense Icer, and mobility shift experiments identified ICER binding to cAMP-responsive elements of the Per1 promoter. We propose that ICER acts as a noise filter for different signals that could affect transcription in the adrenal gland. Because ICER is an immediate-early repressor, the circadian nature of adrenal Icer expression could serve a role in a time-dependent gating mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uršula Prosenc Zmrzljak
- From the Center for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- the Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, Institute of Oncology, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anja Korenčič
- From the Center for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rok Košir
- From the Center for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DiaGenomi Limited, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, and
| | - Marko Goličnik
- From the Center for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Paolo Sassone-Corsi
- the Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 02607
| | - Damjana Rozman
- From the Center for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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20
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Hardeland R. Chronobiology of Melatonin beyond the Feedback to the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus-Consequences to Melatonin Dysfunction. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:5817-41. [PMID: 23481642 PMCID: PMC3634486 DOI: 10.3390/ijms14035817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2013] [Revised: 03/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian circadian system is composed of numerous oscillators, which gradually differ with regard to their dependence on the pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Actions of melatonin on extra-SCN oscillators represent an emerging field. Melatonin receptors are widely expressed in numerous peripheral and central nervous tissues. Therefore, the circadian rhythm of circulating, pineal-derived melatonin can have profound consequences for the temporal organization of almost all organs, without necessarily involving the melatonin feedback to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Experiments with melatonin-deficient mouse strains, pinealectomized animals and melatonin receptor knockouts, as well as phase-shifting experiments with explants, reveal a chronobiological role of melatonin in various tissues. In addition to directly steering melatonin-regulated gene expression, the pineal hormone is required for the rhythmic expression of circadian oscillator genes in peripheral organs and to enhance the coupling of parallel oscillators within the same tissue. It exerts additional effects by modulating the secretion of other hormones. The importance of melatonin for numerous organs is underlined by the association of various diseases with gene polymorphisms concerning melatonin receptors and the melatonin biosynthetic pathway. The possibilities and limits of melatonergic treatment are discussed with regard to reductions of melatonin during aging and in various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Hardeland
- Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Berliner Str. 28, Göttingen D-37073, Germany.
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21
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Shi M, Zheng X. Interactions between the circadian clock and metabolism: there are good times and bad times. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2013; 45:61-9. [PMID: 23257295 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gms110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
An endogenous circadian (∼24 h) clock regulates rhythmic processes of physiology, metabolism and behavior in most living organisms. While able to free-run under constant conditions, the circadian clock is coupled to day : night cycles to increase its amplitude and align the phase of circadian rhythms to the right time of the day. Disruptions of the circadian clock are correlated with brain dysfunctions, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. In this review, we focus on the interactions between the circadian clock and metabolism. We discuss recent findings on circadian clock regulation of feeding behavior and rhythmic expression of metabolic genes, and present evidence of metabolic input to the circadian clock. We emphasize how misalignment of circadian clocks within the body and with environmental cycles or daily schedules leads to the increasing prevalence of metabolic syndromes in modern society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Shi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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22
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Challet E, Dumont S, Mehdi MKM, Allemann C, Bousser T, Gourmelen S, Sage-Ciocca D, Hicks D, Pévet P, Claustrat B. Aging-like circadian disturbances in folate-deficient mice. Neurobiol Aging 2012; 34:1589-98. [PMID: 23273571 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2012.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2012] [Revised: 08/30/2012] [Accepted: 11/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The elderly population shows various circadian disturbances, including dampened amplitude of rhythmicity and decreased responsiveness to light. The common poor folate status in the elderly might account for these aging-related circadian disturbances. To test this hypothesis, we investigated whether folate deficiency in mice affects circadian oscillations of the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei, and the shifting responses to light. Mice fed a diet without folate for 6 weeks displayed markedly reduced (4.5-fold) erythrocyte folate concentration and increased (2.3-fold) homocysteinemia compared with control mice. Folate deficiency decreased the circadian amplitude of vasopressin and the clock protein PERIOD 2 (PER2) in the master clock, slowed the rate of re-entrainment of behavioral rhythms after delayed light-dark cycle and reduced light-induced phase-delays, without detectable morphologic changes in the retina, such as the number of melanopsinergic ganglion cells, that might have impaired photodetection. In conclusion, folate deficiency and consecutive hyperhomocysteinemia led to dampened PER2 and vasopressin oscillations in the master clock and reduced responsiveness to photic resetting, which constitute hallmarks of aging effects on circadian rhythmicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Challet
- Department of Neurobiology of Rhythms, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, CNRS UPR3212 associated with University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
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23
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Pezük P, Mohawk JA, Wang LA, Menaker M. Glucocorticoids as entraining signals for peripheral circadian oscillators. Endocrinology 2012; 153:4775-83. [PMID: 22893723 PMCID: PMC3512018 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian circadian organization is governed by pacemaker neurons in the brain that communicate with oscillators in peripheral tissues. Adrenal glucocorticoids are important time-giving signals to peripheral circadian oscillators. We investigated the rhythm of Per1-luc expression in pineal, pituitary, salivary glands, liver, lung, kidney, cornea as well as suprachiasmatic nucleus from adrenalectomized and sham-operated rats kept under light-dark cycles, or exposed to single 6-h phase delays or advances of their light cycles. Adrenalectomy shifted the phases of Per1-luc in liver, kidney, and cornea and caused phase desynchrony and significant dampening in the rhythmicity of cornea. Treatment with hydrocortisone shifted the phases of Per1-luc in most of the tissues examined, even those that were not affected by adrenalectomy. The rhythm in cornea recovered in animals given hydrocortisone in vivo or when corneas were treated with dexamethasone in vitro. Adrenalectomy increased the rate of reentrainment after phase shifts in liver, kidney, cornea, pineal, lung, and suprachiasmatic nucleus but not in pituitary and salivary glands. Our data show that glucocorticoids act as strong entraining signals for peripheral circadian oscillators and may feed back on central oscillators as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinar Pezük
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4328, USA
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Jiménez-Ortega V, Barquilla PC, Pagano ES, Fernández-Mateos P, Esquifino AI, Cardinali DP. Melatonin supplementation decreases prolactin synthesis and release in rat adenohypophysis: correlation with anterior pituitary redox state and circadian clock mechanisms. Chronobiol Int 2012; 29:1021-35. [PMID: 22891630 DOI: 10.3109/07420528.2012.705936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In the laboratory rat, a number of physiological parameters display seasonal changes even under constant conditions of temperature, lighting, and food availability. Since there is evidence that prolactin (PRL) is, among the endocrine signals, a major mediator of seasonal adaptations, the authors aimed to examine whether melatonin administration in drinking water resembling in length the exposure to a winter photoperiod could affect accordingly the 24-h pattern of PRL synthesis and release and some of their anterior pituitary redox state and circadian clock modulatory mechanisms. Melatonin (3 µg/mL drinking water) or vehicle was given for 1 mo, and rats were euthanized at six time intervals during a 24-h cycle. High concentrations of melatonin (>2000 pg/mL) were detected in melatonin-treated rats from beginning of scotophase (at 21:00 h) to early photophase (at 09:00 h) as compared with a considerably narrower high-melatonin phase observed in controls. By cosinor analysis, melatonin-treated rats had significantly decreased MESOR (24-h time-series average) values of anterior pituitary PRL gene expression and circulating PRL, with acrophases (peak time) located in the middle of the scotophase, as in the control group. Melatonin treatment disrupted the 24-h pattern of anterior pituitary gene expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-1 and -2, heme oxygenase-1 and -2, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, Cu/Zn- and Mn-superoxide dismutase, and catalase by shifting their acrophases to early/middle scotophase or amplifying the maxima. Only the inhibitory effect of melatonin on pituitary NOS-2 gene expression correlated temporally with inhibition of PRL production. Gene expression of metallothionein-1 and -3 showed maxima at early/middle photophase after melatonin treatment. The 24-h pattern of anterior pituitary lipid peroxidation did not vary after treatment. In vehicle-treated rats, Clock and Bmal1 expression peaked in the anterior pituitary at middle scotophase, whereas that of Per1 and Per2 and of Cry1 and Cry2 peaked at the middle and late photophase, respectively. Treatment with melatonin raised mean expression of anterior pituitary Per2, Cry1, and Cry2. In the case of Per1, decreased MESOR was observed, although the single significant difference found between the experimental groups when analyzed at individual time intervals was increase at early scotophase in the anterior pituitary of melatonin-treated rats. Melatonin significantly phase-delayed expression of Per1, Per2, and Cry1, also phase-delayed the plasma corticosterone circadian rhythm, and increased the amplitude of plasma corticosterone and thyrotropin rhythms. The results indicate that under prolonged duration of a daily melatonin signal, rat anterior pituitary PRL synthesis and release are depressed, together with significant changes in the redox and circadian mechanisms controlling them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanesa Jiménez-Ortega
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology III, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
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LeSauter J, Lambert CM, Robotham MR, Model Z, Silver R, Weaver DR. Antibodies for assessing circadian clock proteins in the rodent suprachiasmatic nucleus. PLoS One 2012; 7:e35938. [PMID: 22558277 PMCID: PMC3338757 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2012] [Accepted: 03/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on the mechanisms underlying circadian rhythmicity and the response of brain and body clocks to environmental and physiological challenges requires assessing levels of circadian clock proteins. Too often, however, it is difficult to acquire antibodies that specifically and reliably label these proteins. Many of these antibodies also lack appropriate validation. The goal of this project was to generate and characterize antibodies against several circadian clock proteins. We examined mice and hamsters at peak and trough times of clock protein expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In addition, we confirmed specificity by testing the antibodies on mice with targeted disruption of the relevant genes. Our results identify antibodies against PER1, PER2, BMAL1 and CLOCK that are useful for assessing circadian clock proteins in the SCN by immunocytochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph LeSauter
- Department of Psychology, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Christopher M. Lambert
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Margaret R. Robotham
- Department of Psychology, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Zina Model
- Department of Psychology, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Rae Silver
- Department of Psychology, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Health Sciences, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - David R. Weaver
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Hardeland R, Madrid JA, Tan DX, Reiter RJ. Melatonin, the circadian multioscillator system and health: the need for detailed analyses of peripheral melatonin signaling. J Pineal Res 2012; 52:139-66. [PMID: 22034907 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-079x.2011.00934.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 301] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Evidence is accumulating regarding the importance of circadian core oscillators, several associated factors, and melatonin signaling in the maintenance of health. Dysfunction of endogenous clocks, melatonin receptor polymorphisms, age- and disease-associated declines of melatonin likely contribute to numerous diseases including cancer, metabolic syndrome, diabetes type 2, hypertension, and several mood and cognitive disorders. Consequences of gene silencing, overexpression, gene polymorphisms, and deviant expression levels in diseases are summarized. The circadian system is a complex network of central and peripheral oscillators, some of them being relatively independent of the pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Actions of melatonin on peripheral oscillators are poorly understood. Various lines of evidence indicate that these clocks are also influenced or phase-reset by melatonin. This includes phase differences of core oscillator gene expression under impaired melatonin signaling, effects of melatonin and melatonin receptor knockouts on oscillator mRNAs or proteins. Cross-connections between melatonin signaling pathways and oscillator proteins, including associated factors, are discussed in this review. The high complexity of the multioscillator system comprises alternate or parallel oscillators based on orthologs and paralogs of the core components and a high number of associated factors with varying tissue-specific importance, which offers numerous possibilities for interactions with melatonin. It is an aim of this review to stimulate research on melatonin signaling in peripheral tissues. This should not be restricted to primary signal molecules but rather include various secondarily connected pathways and discriminate between direct effects of the pineal indoleamine at the target organ and others mediated by modulation of oscillators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Hardeland
- Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Germany.
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Guillaumond F, Becquet D, Boyer B, Bosler O, Delaunay F, Franc JL, François-Bellan AM. DNA microarray analysis and functional profile of pituitary transcriptome under core-clock protein BMAL1 control. Chronobiol Int 2012; 29:103-30. [PMID: 22324551 DOI: 10.3109/07420528.2011.645707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Although it is known to contain five cell types that synthesize and release hormones with a circadian pattern, the pituitary gland is poorly characterized as a circadian oscillator. By a differential microarray analysis, 252 genes were found to be differentially expressed in pituitaries from Bmal1(-/-) knockout versus wild-type mice. By integrative analyses of the data set with the Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) Bioinformatics Resources annotation analysis system, pituitary genes with altered expression in Bmal1(-/-) mice were dispatched among functional categories. Clusters of genes related to signaling and rhythmic processes as well as transcription regulators, in general, were found enriched in the data set, as were pathways such as circadian rhythm, transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling, valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathways. Gene Ontology term overrepresentation analyses revealed significant enrichment for genes involved in 10 key biological processes. To determine whether genes with altered expression in Bmal1(-/-) mice were actually circadian genes, we further characterized in the mouse pituitary gland the daily pattern of some of these genes, including core-clock genes. Core-clock genes and genes selected from three identified overrepresented biological processes, namely, hormone metabolic process, regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, and cell adhesion, displayed a rhythmic pattern. Given the enrichment in genes dedicated to cell adhesion and their daily changes in the pituitary, it is hypothesized that cell-cell interactions could be involved in the transmission of information between endocrine cells, allowing rhythmic hormone outputs to be controlled in a temporally precise manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Guillaumond
- Aix-Marseille University , INSERM-U624, Marseille, France
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Kalsbeek A, van der Spek R, Lei J, Endert E, Buijs RM, Fliers E. Circadian rhythms in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 349:20-9. [PMID: 21782883 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2011.06.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 255] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2011] [Revised: 06/29/2011] [Accepted: 06/30/2011] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The pronounced daily variation in the release of adrenal hormones has been at the heart of the deciphering and understanding of the circadian timing system. Indeed, the first demonstration of an endocrine day/night rhythm was provided by Pincus (1943), by showing a daily pattern of 17-keto-steroid excretion in the urine of 7 healthy males. Twenty years later the adrenal gland was one of the very first organs to show, in vitro, that circadian rhythmicity was maintained. In the seventies, experimental manipulation of the daily corticosterone rhythm served as evidence for the identification of respectively the light- and food-entrainable oscillator. Another 20 years later the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis was key in furthering our understanding of the way in which rhythmic signals generated by the central pacemaker in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) are forwarded to the rest of the brain and to the organism as a whole. To date, the adrenal gland is still of prime importance for understanding how the oscillations of clock genes in peripheral tissues result in functional rhythms of these tissues, whereas it has become even more evident that adrenal glucocorticoids are key in the resetting of the circadian system after a phase-shift. The HPA-axis thus still is an excellent model for studying the transmission of circadian information in the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Kalsbeek
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Christ E, Korf HW, von Gall C. When does it start ticking? Ontogenetic development of the mammalian circadian system. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2012; 199:105-118. [PMID: 22877661 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-59427-3.00006-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior ensure that vital functions are temporally synchronized with cyclic environmental changes. In mammals, the circadian system is conducted by a central circadian rhythm generator that resides in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and controls multiple subsidiary circadian oscillators in the periphery. The molecular clockwork in SCN and peripheral oscillators consists of autoregulatory transcriptional/translational feedback loops of clock genes. The adult circadian system is synchronized to the astrophysical day by light whereas the fetal and neonatal circadian system entrains to nonphotic rhythmic maternal signals. This chapter reviews maturation and entrainment of the central circadian rhythm generator in the SCN and of peripheral oscillators during ontogenetic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmar Christ
- Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie II, Fachbereich Medizin, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Horst-Werner Korf
- Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie II, Fachbereich Medizin, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Dr. Senckenbergisches Chronomedizinisches Institut, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Charlotte von Gall
- Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie II, Fachbereich Medizin, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Dr. Senckenbergisches Chronomedizinisches Institut, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Miyazaki M, Schroder E, Edelmann SE, Hughes ME, Kornacker K, Balke CW, Esser KA. Age-associated disruption of molecular clock expression in skeletal muscle of the spontaneously hypertensive rat. PLoS One 2011; 6:e27168. [PMID: 22076133 PMCID: PMC3208587 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2011] [Accepted: 10/11/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) develop muscle pathologies with hypertension and heart failure, though the mechanism remains poorly understood. Woon et al. (2007) linked the circadian clock gene Bmal1 to hypertension and metabolic dysfunction in the SHR. Building on these findings, we compared the expression pattern of several core-clock genes in the gastrocnemius muscle of aged SHR (80 weeks; overt heart failure) compared to aged-matched control WKY strain. Heart failure was associated with marked effects on the expression of Bmal1, Clock and Rora in addition to several non-circadian genes important in regulating skeletal muscle phenotype including Mck, Ttn and Mef2c. We next performed circadian time-course collections at a young age (8 weeks; pre-hypertensive) and adult age (22 weeks; hypertensive) to determine if clock gene expression was disrupted in gastrocnemius, heart and liver tissues prior to or after the rats became hypertensive. We found that hypertensive/hypertrophic SHR showed a dampening of peak Bmal1 and Rev-erb expression in the liver, and the clock-controlled gene Pgc1α in the gastrocnemius. In addition, the core-clock gene Clock and the muscle-specific, clock-controlled gene Myod1, no longer maintained a circadian pattern of expression in gastrocnemius from the hypertensive SHR. These findings provide a framework to suggest a mechanism whereby chronic heart failure leads to skeletal muscle pathologies; prolonged dysregulation of the molecular clock in skeletal muscle results in altered Clock, Pgc1α and Myod1 expression which in turn leads to the mis-regulation of target genes important for mechanical and metabolic function of skeletal muscle.
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MESH Headings
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Blotting, Western
- CLOCK Proteins/genetics
- CLOCK Proteins/metabolism
- Circadian Clocks/physiology
- DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Heart/physiopathology
- Hypertension/physiopathology
- Liver/metabolism
- Liver/pathology
- Male
- Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism
- Muscle, Skeletal/pathology
- MyoD Protein/genetics
- MyoD Protein/metabolism
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group D, Member 1/genetics
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group D, Member 1/metabolism
- Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
- Rats
- Rats, Inbred SHR
- Rats, Inbred WKY
- Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Factors/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsunori Miyazaki
- Department of Physiology, Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Schroder
- Department of Physiology, Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Stephanie E. Edelmann
- Department of Physiology, Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Michael E. Hughes
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Karl Kornacker
- Division of Sensory Biophysics, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - C. William Balke
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Karyn A. Esser
- Department of Physiology, Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
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Ačimovič J, Košir R, Kastelec D, Perše M, Majdič G, Rozman D, Košmelj K, Goličnik M. Circadian rhythm of cholesterol synthesis in mouse liver: A statistical analysis of the post-squalene metabolites in wild-type and Crem-knock-out mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2011; 408:635-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.04.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2011] [Accepted: 04/16/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Hughes ATL, Guilding C, Piggins HD. Neuropeptide signaling differentially affects phase maintenance and rhythm generation in SCN and extra-SCN circadian oscillators. PLoS One 2011; 6:e18926. [PMID: 21559484 PMCID: PMC3084722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2011] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior are coordinated by the brain's dominant circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and its receptor, VPAC(2), play important roles in the functioning of the SCN pacemaker. Mice lacking VPAC(2) receptors (Vipr2(-/-)) express disrupted behavioral and metabolic rhythms and show altered SCN neuronal activity and clock gene expression. Within the brain, the SCN is not the only site containing endogenous circadian oscillators, nor is it the only site of VPAC(2) receptor expression; both VPAC(2) receptors and rhythmic clock gene/protein expression have been noted in the arcuate (Arc) and dorsomedial (DMH) nuclei of the mediobasal hypothalamus, and in the pituitary gland. The functional role of VPAC(2) receptors in rhythm generation and maintenance in these tissues is, however, unknown. We used wild type (WT) and Vipr2(-/-) mice expressing a luciferase reporter (PER2::LUC) to investigate whether circadian rhythms in the clock gene protein PER2 in these extra-SCN tissues were compromised by the absence of the VPAC(2) receptor. Vipr2(-/-) SCN cultures expressed significantly lower amplitude PER2::LUC oscillations than WT SCN. Surprisingly, in Vipr2(-/-) Arc/ME/PT complex (Arc, median eminence and pars tuberalis), DMH and pituitary, the period, amplitude and rate of damping of rhythms were not significantly different to WT. Intriguingly, while we found WT SCN and Arc/ME/PT tissues to maintain a consistent circadian phase when cultured, the phase of corresponding Vipr2(-/-) cultures was reset by cull/culture procedure. These data demonstrate that while the main rhythm parameters of extra-SCN circadian oscillations are maintained in Vipr2(-/-) mice, the ability of these oscillators to resist phase shifts is compromised. These deficiencies may contribute towards the aberrant behavior and metabolism associated with Vipr2(-/-) animals. Further, our data indicate a link between circadian rhythm strength and the ability of tissues to resist circadian phase resetting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alun T L Hughes
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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