Photoperiod differentially regulates clock genes' expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of Syrian hamster

Behavior and physiology in female Cricetulus barabensis are associated with the expression of circadian genes

The circadian clock regulates the behavior, physiology, and metabolism of mammals, and these characteristics, such as sleep-wake cycles, exercise capacity, and hormone levels, exhibit circadian rhythms. Light signaling is the main stimulator of the mammalian circadian system. The photoperiod regulates the reproductive cycle of seasonal breeding animals, and the circadian clock plays a pivotal role in this process. However, the role of the clock in coordinating animal behavior and physiology in response to photoperiodic changes needs further investigation. The present study investigated the changes and correlation of behavioral activities, physiological indicators, and gene expression in female striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) within 24 h under a 12L:12D photoperiod. We found that the daily rhythms of sleep-wake and open field were significant in hamsters. The expression of clock genes, melatonin receptor genes, and genes involved in general metabolism oscillated significantly in central and peripheral tissues (brain, hypothalamus, liver, ovary, and thymus) and was significantly associated with behavior and physiology. Our results revealed that the neuroendocrine system regulated the rhythmicity of behavior and physiology, and central and peripheral clock genes (Bmal1, Clock, Per1, Per2, Cry1, and Cry2), melatonin receptor genes (MT1, MT2, and GPR50), and metabolizing genes (SIRT1, FGF21, and PPARα) played important roles. Our results suggest that central and peripheral circadian clocks, melatonin receptors, and genes involved in general metabolism may play key roles in maintaining circadian behavior and metabolic homeostasis in striped hamsters. Our results may have important implication for rodent pest control.

Mathematical insights into the role of dopamine signaling in circadian entrainment

The circadian clock in the mammalian brain comprises interlocked molecular feedback loops that have downstream effects on important physiological functions such as the sleep-wake cycle and hormone regulation. Experiments have shown that the circadian clock also modulates the synthesis and breakdown of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Imbalances in dopamine are linked to a host of neurological conditions including Parkinson's disease, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and mood disorders, and these conditions are often accompanied by circadian disruptions. We have previously created a mathematical model using nonlinear ordinary differential equations to describe the influences of the circadian clock on dopamine at the molecular level. Recent experiments suggest that dopamine reciprocally influences the circadian clock. Dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1) signaling has been shown to aid in the entrainment of the clock to the 24-hour light-dark cycle, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this paper, we use our mathematical model to support the experimental hypothesis that DRD1 signaling promotes circadian entrainment by modulating the clock's response to light. We model the effects of a phase advance or delay, as well as the therapeutic potential of a REV-ERB agonist. In addition to phase shifts, we study the influences of photoperiod, or day length, in the mathematical model, connect our findings with the experimental and clinical literature, and determine the parameter that affects the critical photoperiod that signals seasonal changes to physiology.

GnRH and the photoperiodic control of seasonal reproduction: Delegating the task to kisspeptin and RFRP-3

Synchronization of mammalian breeding activity to the annual change of photoperiod and environmental conditions is of the utmost importance for individual survival and species perpetuation. Subsequent to the early 1960s, when the central role of melatonin in this adaptive process was demonstrated, our comprehension of the mechanisms through which light regulates gonadal activity has increased considerably. The current model for the photoperiodic neuroendocrine system points to pivotal roles for the melatonin-sensitive pars tuberalis (PT) and its seasonally-regulated production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), as well as for TSH-sensitive hypothalamic tanycytes, radial glia-like cells located in the basal part of the third ventricle. Tanycytes respond to TSH through increased expression of thyroid hormone (TH) deiodinase 2 (Dio2), which leads to heightened production of intrahypothalamic triiodothyronine (T3) during longer days of spring and summer. There is strong evidence that this local, long-day driven, increase in T3 links melatonin input at the PT to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) output, to align breeding with the seasons. The mechanism(s) through which T3 impinges upon GnRH remain(s) unclear. However, two distinct neuronal populations of the medio-basal hypothalamus, which express the (Arg)(Phe)-amide peptides kisspeptin and RFamide-related peptide-3, appear to be well-positioned to relay this seasonal T3 message towards GnRH neurons. Here, we summarize our current understanding of the cellular, molecular and neuroendocrine players, which keep track of photoperiod and ultimately govern GnRH output and seasonal breeding.

The Drosophila circadian phase response curve to light: Conservation across seasonally relevant photoperiods and anchorage to sunset

Photic history, including the relative duration of day versus night in a 24-hour cycle, is known to influence subsequent circadian responses to light in mammals. Whether such modulation is present in Drosophila is currently unknown. To date, all photic phase-response curves (PRCs) generated from Drosophila have done so with animals housed under seasonally agnostic equatorial photoperiods with alternating 12-hour segments of light and darkness. However, the genus contains thousands of species, some of which populate high and low-latitude habitats (20-50° north or south of the Equator) where seasonal variations in the light-dark schedule are pronounced. Here, we address this disconnect by constructing the first high-resolution Drosophila seasonal atlas for light-induced circadian phase-resetting. Testing the light responses of over 4,000 Drosophila at 120 timepoints across 5 seasonally-relevant rectangular photoperiods (i.e., LD 8:16, 10:14, 12:12, 14:10, and 16:8; 24 hourly intervals surveyed in each), we determined that many aspects of the fly circadian PRC waveform are conserved with increasing daylength. Surprisingly though, irrespective of LD schedule, the start of the PRCs always remained anchored to the timing of subjective sunset, creating a differential overlap of the advance zone with the morning hours after subjective sunrise that was maximized under summer photoperiods and minimized under winter photoperiods. These data suggest that there may be differences in flies versus mammals as to how the photoperiod modulates the waveform and amplitude of the circadian PRC to light. On the other hand, they support the possibility that the lights-off transition determines the phase-positioning of photic PRCs across seasons and across species. More work is necessary to test this claim and whether it might factor into the timing of seasonal light responses in humans.

Pinealectomy and gonadectomy modulate amplitude, but not photoperiodic modulation of Clock gene expression in the Syrian hamster suprachiasmatic nuclei

The duration of daytime light phase (photoperiod) controls reproduction in seasonal mammals. Syrian hamsters are sexually active when exposed to long photoperiod, while gonadal atrophy is observed after exposure to short photoperiod. The photorefractory period, or photorefractoriness, is a particular state of spontaneous recrudescence of sexual activity that occurs after a long-term exposure to short photoperiod. Expression of core clock genes in the master circadian clock contained in the suprachiasmatic nuclei depends on photoperiodic conditions. Interestingly, the expression of the Clock gene is also modified in photorefractory Syrian hamsters. Since melatonin and testosterone levels in seasonal species are dependent on photoperiod, photoperiodic variations of Clock mRNA levels in the suprachiasmatic clock could be a consequence of these hormonal changes. To test this hypothesis, we analysed the effects of pinealectomy on Clock mRNA changes due to long to short photoperiod transition and of gonadectomy on Clock mRNA levels in photorefractory period. Our data show that the suprachiasmatic integration of the short photoperiod (assessed by a rhythmic expression profile of Clock) is independent of the presence of melatonin. Furthermore, constitutively low expression of Clock observed during the photorefractory period does not require the presence of either melatonin or testosterone. However, we show that both hormones provide positive feedback on average levels of Clock expression. Thus, our data support the hypothesis that daily variations of Clock levels in the suprachiasmatic nuclei are influenced by photoperiodic changes and the time spent in short photoperiod, independently of seasonal modifications of melatonin or testosterone levels.

Light-resetting impact on behavior and the central circadian clock in two vole species (genus: Lasiopodomys)

The behavioral circadian rhythms of subterranean rodents show intra- and interspecies diversity in terms of adaptation to dark underground environments, but the endogenous molecular mechanism of rhythm regulation in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) is stable to many species. In this study, we sought to determine the rhythms of behavior and central molecular regulatory mechanisms in the SCN of the subterranean Mandarin voles (Lasiopodomys mandarinus) compared with a related aboveground species, Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii). Both species were reared under a 12 L:12 D cycle or in continuous darkness for 4 weeks. The pattern of wheel-running activity was similar in both species and had a periodicity of almost 24 h regardless of rearing conditions. However, the intensity of daily activity in Brandt's voles decreased markedly in darkness, while there was no significant difference in activity intensity in mandarin voles under different light regimes. In both vole species, all tested genes in the SCN showed significant time-dependent expression regardless of rearing conditions, and the expression levels of most genes did not differ significantly between different species and conditions. However, the peak phase shift in gene expression differed between the two species. In conclusion, behavioral patterns in mandarin and Brandt's voles were regulated by a stable molecular endogenous biological clock. The observed differences in activity intensity and phase shift suggest that different mechanisms regulate circadian rhythms in different living environments.

Photoperiod regulates the daily profiles of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 gene expression the raphe nuclei of rats

ِAIM

Tryptophan hydroxylase-2 mRNA (TPH, the rate limiting enzyme in 5-HT synthesis) expression levels display circadian variations in the median and dorsal raphe nuclei. This circadian pattern is under the control of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), the master clock. Photoperiodic cue is encoded by the SCN which convey the seasonal message to target sites. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of photoperiodic changes on the serotonergic neurons of the raphe nuclei. We have assessed the daily expression of TPH2 mRNA in both median and dorsal raphe nuclei of rats housed either under long photoperiod (18 h light/6 h dark cycle, LP18:6) or short photoperiod (SP6:18). ٌ.

RESULTS

Our results demonstrate that under LP18:6, TPH2 mRNA levels display a progressive decrease during the dark period and a maximal expression is reported at the beginning of the light period. The expression pattern of TPH2 mRNA under SP6:18 remains unchanged during the dark period and increases significantly before the light/dark transition. This latter expression pattern is in line with the daily profiles of TPH2 mRNA reported previously under standard lighting regimen (12 h light/12 h dark cycle).

CONCLUSION

The present results suggest that TPH2 mRNA expression pattern within DR and MR is affected by photoperiod which might in turn affect TPH content and 5-HT release within the circadian structures, but also in all the serotonergic projection areas of the brain.

Season dependent effects of urban environment on circadian clock of tree sparrow (Passer montanus)

Great efforts have been made recently to understand the effect(s) of urban environments on the circadian and seasonal physiology of wild animals, but the mechanisms involved remain largely unknown.

Effect of short artificial lighting and low temperature in housing rooms during non-rutting season on reproductive parameters of male dromedary camels

Ten dromedary mature males were used to study the effects of short artificial lighting and low temperature on the reproductive behavior, testicular size, semen quality and hormone during the non-rutting season and subsequent rutting season. Bulls were allocated into two groups: the first group were subjected to natural daylight and temperature and used as a control. The second group was housed individually in light and temperature controlled rooms in which artificial light (300 lux) was used for 10 h/d, and the temperature was 25.28 ± 0.21 °C. The trial was initiated in mid-June and continued for 10 weeks in the non-rutting season. The reproductive parameters of all animals in the control and room groups were evaluated once every two weeks. The reproductive parameters of all animals in the control and room groups were re-evaluated during the rutting season of the same year. A significant (P < 0.05) increase in the morphometry of the testes, scrotum, libido, and reaction time score, as well as serum melatonin and testosterone levels, was observed in the treatment non-rutting season (TNRS) group compared to in the control non-rutting season (CNRS) group. The testicular volume, reaction time score, serum melatonin, and testosterone were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the treatment rutting season (TRS) group than in the control non-rutting season (CRS) group. Improvement in the semen parameters were observed in the TNRS and TRS groups compared to in the CRS group. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that short artificial lighting and low temperature can induce rutting out of season and improve the reproductive parameters of dromedary males during the subsequent rutting season.

Photoperiodic Regulation of Reproduction in Vertebrates

Organisms use changes in photoperiod for seasonal reproduction to maximize the survival of their offspring. Birds have sophisticated seasonal mechanisms and are therefore excellent models for studying these phenomena. Birds perceive light via deep-brain photoreceptors and long day–induced thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH, thyrotropin) in the pars tuberalis of the pituitary gland (PT), which cause local thyroid hormone activation within the mediobasal hypothalamus. The local bioactive thyroid hormone controls seasonal gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion and subsequent gonadotropin secretion. In mammals, the eyes are believed to be the only photoreceptor organ, and nocturnal melatonin secretion triggers an endocrine signal that communicates information about the photoperiod to the PT to regulate TSH. In contrast, in Salmonidae fish the input pathway to the neuroendocrine output pathway appears to be localized in the saccus vasculosus. Thus, comparative analysis is an effective way to uncover the universality and diversity of fundamental traits in various organisms.

An Ultradian Feeding Schedule in Rats Affects Metabolic Gene Expression in Liver, Brown Adipose Tissue and Skeletal Muscle with Only Mild Effects on Circadian Clocks

Restricted feeding is well known to affect expression profiles of both clock and metabolic genes. However, it is unknown whether these changes in metabolic gene expression result from changes in the molecular clock or in feeding behavior. Here we eliminated the daily rhythm in feeding behavior by providing 6 meals evenly distributed over the light/dark-cycle. Animals on this 6-meals-a-day feeding schedule retained the normal day/night difference in physiological parameters including body temperature and locomotor activity. The daily rhythm in respiratory exchange ratio (RER), however, was significantly phase-shifted through increased utilization of carbohydrates during the light phase and increased lipid oxidation during the dark phase. This 6-meals-a-day feeding schedule did not have a major impact on the clock gene expression rhythms in the master clock, but did have mild effects on peripheral clocks. In contrast, genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism showed differential expression. In conclusion, eliminating the daily rhythm in feeding behavior in rats does not affect the master clock and only mildly affects peripheral clocks, but disturbs metabolic rhythms in liver, skeletal muscle and brown adipose tissue in a tissue-dependent manner. Thereby, a clear daily rhythm in feeding behavior strongly regulates timing of peripheral metabolism, separately from circadian clocks.

A suprachiasmatic-independent circadian clock(s) in the habenula is affected by Per gene mutations and housing light conditions in mice

For many years, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) was considered as the unique circadian pacemaker in the mammalian brain. Currently, it is known that other brain areas are able to oscillate in a circadian manner. However, many of them are dependent on, or synchronized by, the SCN. The Habenula (Hb), localized in the epithalamus, is a key nucleus for the regulation of monoamine activity (dopamine, serotonin) and presents circadian features; nonetheless, the clock properties of the Hb are not fully described. Here, we report, first, circadian expression of clock genes in the lateral habenula (LHb) under constant darkness (DD) condition in wild-type mice which is disturbed in double Per1^-/--Per2^Brdm1 clock-mutant mice. Second, using Per2::luciferase transgenic mice, we observed a self-sustained oscillatory ability (PER2::LUCIFERASE bioluminescence rhythmicity) in the rostral and caudal part of the Hb of arrhythmic SCN-ablated animals. Finally, in Per2::luciferase mice exposed to different lighting conditions (light-dark, constant darkness or constant light), the period or amplitude of PER2 oscillations, in both the rostral and caudal Hb, were similar. However, under DD condition or from SCN-lesioned mice, these two Hb regions were out of phase, suggesting an uncoupling of two putative Hb oscillators. Altogether, these results suggest that an autonomous clock in the rostral and caudal part of the Hb requires integrity of circadian genes to tick, and light information or SCN innervation to keep synchrony. The relevance of the Hb timing might reside in the regulation of circadian functions linked to motivational (reward) and emotional (mood) processes.

Asymmetric vasopressin signaling spatially organizes the master circadian clock

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the neural network that drives daily rhythms in behavior and physiology. The SCN encodes environmental changes through the phasing of cellular rhythms across its anteroposterior axis, but it remains unknown what signaling mechanisms regulate clock function along this axis. Here we demonstrate that arginine vasopressin (AVP) signaling organizes the SCN into distinct anteroposterior domains. Spatial mapping of SCN gene expression using in situ hybridization delineated anterior and posterior domains for AVP signaling components, including complementary patterns of V1a and V1b expression that suggest different roles for these two AVP receptors. Similarly, anteroposterior patterning of transcripts involved in Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide- and Prokineticin2 signaling was evident across the SCN. Using bioluminescence imaging, we then revealed that inhibiting V1A and V1B signaling alters period and phase differentially along the anteroposterior SCN. V1 antagonism lengthened period the most in the anterior SCN, whereas changes in phase were largest in the posterior SCN. Further, separately antagonizing V1A and V1B signaling modulated SCN function in a manner that mapped onto anteroposterior expression patterns. Lastly, V1 antagonism influenced SCN period and phase along the dorsoventral axis, complementing effects on the anteroposterior axis. Together, these results indicate that AVP signaling modulates SCN period and phase in a spatially specific manner, which is expected to influence how the master clock interacts with downstream tissues and responds to environmental changes. More generally, we reveal anteroposterior asymmetry in neuropeptide signaling as a recurrent organizational motif that likely influences neural computations in the SCN clock network.

Effects of melatonin implants on the reproductive performance and endocrine function of camel (Camelus dromedarius) bulls during the non-breeding and subsequent breeding seasons

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of melatonin implants on the reproductive performances and hormone levels of dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) bulls during the non-breeding and subsequent breeding seasons. Fourteen mature dromedary bulls were divided into a control group (n = 7) and a group that was implanted with melatonin (n = 7) twice, at the beginning of the study and 35 days later. The trial started on the 17th June and continued for 10 weeks during the non-breeding season. Reproductive performances of animals in the control and melatonin groups were evaluated weekly during the non-breeding season [control non-breeding (CNB) and melatonin non-breeding (MNB) groups, respectively] and evaluated again during the subsequent breeding season [control breeding (CB) and melatonin breeding (MB) groups, respectively], which started on the 6th December and continued for 10 weeks. MNB bulls had greater (P ≤ 0.05) scrotum circumference and testicular volume, sexual desire, reaction time and mating ability scores, and serum melatonin and testosterone concentration values (24.91 ± 0.26 cm, 271.00 ± 7.81 cm³, 2.31 ± 0.13, 2.03 ± 0.22, 2.26 ± 0.09, 23.90 ± 0.05 pg/mL and 2764.51 ± 137.02 pg/mL, respectively) than the CNB group (23.63 ± 0.05 cm, 199.21 ± 3.27 cm³, 1.00 ± 0.00, 0.00 ± 0.00, 1.00 ± 0.00, 9.46 ± 0.08 pg/mL and 1872.41 ± 264.89 pg/mL, respectively). The scrotum and testes, reaction time score, proportion of bulls refusing to mount, and serum melatonin values were significantly higher in MB than CB bulls (P ≤ 0.05). Progressive motility (PM), average pathway velocity, straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity (VCL), linearity, straightness (STR), wobble, beat cross frequency (BCF), livability, and DNA integrity were significantly higher in MB than CB bulls (P ≤ 0.05). PM, VCL, STR, amplitude of lateral head displacement, BCF, and livability were significantly higher in MNB than CB bulls (P ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, melatonin implants improved the reproductive performance of bulls during the non-breeding and subsequent breeding seasons.

Effects of Photoperiod Extension on Clock Gene and Neuropeptide RNA Expression in the SCN of the Soay Sheep

In mammals, changing daylength (photoperiod) is the main synchronizer of seasonal functions. The photoperiodic information is transmitted through the retino-hypothalamic tract to the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), site of the master circadian clock. To investigate effects of day length change on the sheep SCN, we used in-situ hybridization to assess the daily temporal organization of expression of circadian clock genes (Per1, Per2, Bmal1 and Fbxl21) and neuropeptides (Vip, Grp and Avp) in animals acclimated to a short photoperiod (SP; 8h of light) and at 3 or 15 days following transfer to a long photoperiod (LP3, LP15, respectively; 16h of light), achieved by an acute 8-h delay of lights off. We found that waveforms of SCN gene expression conformed to those previously seen in LP acclimated animals within 3 days of transfer to LP. Mean levels of expression for Per1-2 and Fbxl21 were nearly 2-fold higher in the LP15 than in the SP group. The expression of Vip was arrhythmic and unaffected by photoperiod, while, in contrast to rodents, Grp expression was not detectable within the sheep SCN. Expression of the circadian output gene Avp cycled robustly in all photoperiod groups with no detectable change in phasing. Overall these data suggest that synchronizing effects of light on SCN circadian organisation proceed similarly in ungulates and in rodents, despite differences in neuropeptide gene expression.

Mammalian Diurnality: Some Facts and Gaps

A major factor contributing to the evolution of mammals was their ability to be active during the night, a niche previously underused by terrestrial vertebrates. Diurnality subsequently reemerged multiple times in a variety of independent lineages. This paper reviews some recent data on circadian mechanisms in diurnal mammals and considers general themes that appear to be emerging from this work. Careful examination of behavioral studies suggests that although subtle differences may exist, the fundamental functions of the circadian system are the same, as seems to be the case with respect to the molecular mechanisms of the clock. This suggests that responses to signals originating in the clock must be different, either within the SCN or at its targets or downstream from them. Some features of the SCN vary from species to species, but none of these has been clearly associated with diurnality. The region immediately dorsal to the SCN, which receives substantial input from it, exhibits dramatically different rhythms in nocturnal lab rats and diurnal grass rats. This raises the possibility that it functions as a relay that transforms the signal emitted by the SCN and transmits different patterns to downstream targets in nocturnal and diurnal animals. Other direct targets of the SCN include neurons containing orexin and those containing gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and both of these populations of cells exhibit patterns of rhythmicity that are inverted in at least one diurnal compared to one nocturnal species. The patterns that emerge from the data on diurnality are discussed in terms of the implications they have for the evolution and neural substrates of a day-active way of life.

Dynamics of the Adjustment of Clock Gene Expression in the Rat Suprachiasmatic Nucleus to an Asymmetrical Change from a Long to a Short Photoperiod

The molecular clockwork of the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus, the site of the circadian clock, is affected by the photoperiod (Sumová et al., 2003). The aim of the present study was to partly elucidate the dynamics of the adjustment of the clockwork to a change from a long to a short photoperiod accomplished by an asymmetrical prolongation of the dark period into the morning hours. Rats maintained under a regime with 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness per day (LD 16:8) were transferred to LD 8:16, and after 2, 3, and 13 days, daily profiles of Per1, Per2, Bmal1, and Cry1 mRNA were assessed by in situ hybridization. The rhythms of Per1, Per2, and Bmal1 expression adjusted to the change from a long to a short photoperiod with larger phase delays of the morning Per mRNA rise and Bmal1 mRNA decline than of the evening and nighttime Per mRNA decline and Bmal1 mRNA rise. The rhythm of Cry1 expression adjusted to the change by parallel delays of the Cry1 mRNA rise and decline. Adjustment of the Cry1 mRNA rhythm to short days was almost accomplished within 13 days, whereas adjustment of the Per1 and Bmal1 mRNA rhythms took longer. Different dynamics of the adjustment of rhythms in clock gene expression to a change from a long to a short photoperiod suggests complex resetting effects of the photoperiod change.

Seasonality in human cognitive brain responses

Daily variations in the environment have shaped life on Earth, with circadian cycles identified in most living organisms. Likewise, seasons correspond to annual environmental fluctuations to which organisms have adapted. However, little is known about seasonal variations in human brain physiology. We investigated annual rhythms of brain activity in a cross-sectional study of healthy young participants. They were maintained in an environment free of seasonal cues for 4.5 d, after which brain responses were assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they performed two different cognitive tasks. Brain responses to both tasks varied significantly across seasons, but the phase of these annual rhythms was strikingly different, speaking for a complex impact of season on human brain function. For the sustained attention task, the maximum and minimum responses were located around summer and winter solstices, respectively, whereas for the working memory task, maximum and minimum responses were observed around autumn and spring equinoxes. These findings reveal previously unappreciated process-specific seasonality in human cognitive brain function that could contribute to intraindividual cognitive changes at specific times of year and changes in affective control in vulnerable populations.

Synchronization of Biological Clock Neurons by Light and Peripheral Feedback Systems Promotes Circadian Rhythms and Health

In mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) functions as a circadian clock that drives 24-h rhythms in both physiology and behavior. The SCN is a multicellular oscillator in which individual neurons function as cell-autonomous oscillators. The production of a coherent output rhythm is dependent upon mutual synchronization among single cells and requires both synaptic communication and gap junctions. Changes in phase-synchronization between individual cells have consequences on the amplitude of the SCN’s electrical activity rhythm, and these changes play a major role in the ability to adapt to seasonal changes. Both aging and sleep deprivation negatively affect the circadian amplitude of the SCN, whereas behavioral activity (i.e., exercise) has a positive effect on amplitude. Given that the amplitude of the SCN’s electrical activity rhythm is essential for achieving robust rhythmicity in physiology and behavior, the mechanisms that underlie neuronal synchronization warrant further study. A growing body of evidence suggests that the functional integrity of the SCN contributes to health, well-being, cognitive performance, and alertness; in contrast, deterioration of the 24-h rhythm is a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease, cancer, depression, and sleep disorders.

Melatonin feedback on clock genes: a theory involving the proteasome

The expression of 'clock' genes occurs in all tissues, but especially in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus, groups of neurons in the brain that regulate circadian rhythms. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland in a circadian manner as influenced by the SCN. There is also considerable evidence that melatonin, in turn, acts on the SCN directly influencing the circadian 'clock' mechanisms. The most direct route by which melatonin could reach the SCN would be via the cerebrospinal fluid of the third ventricle. Melatonin could also reach the pars tuberalis (PT) of the pituitary, another melatonin-sensitive tissue, via this route. The major 'clock' genes include the period genes, Per1 and Per2, the cryptochrome genes, Cry1 and Cry2, the clock (circadian locomotor output cycles kaput) gene, and the Bmal1 (aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like) gene. Clock and Bmal1 heterodimers act on E-box components of the promoters of the Per and Cry genes to stimulate transcription. A negative feedback loop between the cryptochrome proteins and the nucleus allows the Cry and Per proteins to regulate their own transcription. A cycle of ubiquitination and deubiquitination controls the levels of CRY protein degraded by the proteasome and, hence, the amount of protein available for feedback. Thus, it provides a post-translational component to the circadian clock mechanism. BMAL1 also stimulates transcription of REV-ERBα and, in turn, is also partially regulated by negative feedback by REV-ERBα. In the 'black widow' model of transcription, proteasomes destroy transcription factors that are needed only for a particular period of time. In the model proposed herein, the interaction of melatonin and the proteasome is required to adjust the SCN clock to changes in the environmental photoperiod. In particular, we predict that melatonin inhibition of the proteasome interferes with negative feedback loops (CRY/PER and REV-ERBα) on Bmal1 transcription genes in both the SCN and PT. Melatonin inhibition of the proteasome would also tend to stabilize BMAL1 protein itself in the SCN, particularly at night when melatonin is naturally elevated. Melatonin inhibition of the proteasome could account for the effects of melatonin on circadian rhythms associated with molecular timing genes. The interaction of melatonin with the proteasome in the hypothalamus also provides a model for explaining the dramatic 'time of day' effect of melatonin injections on reproductive status of seasonal breeders. Finally, the model predicts that a proteasome inhibitor such as bortezomib would modify circadian rhythms in a manner similar to melatonin.

The circadian gene Clock oscillates in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the diurnal rodent Barbary striped grass mouse, Lemniscomys barbarus: a general feature of diurnality?

A major challenge in the field of circadian rhythms is to understand the neural mechanisms controlling the oppositely phased temporal organization of physiology and behaviour between night- and day-active animals. Most identified components of the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), called circadian genes, display similar oscillations according to the time of day, independent of the temporal niche. This has led to the predominant view that the switch between night- and day-active animals occurs downstream of the master clock, likely also involving differential feedback of behavioral cues onto the SCN. The Barbary striped grass mouse, Lemniscomys barbarus is known as a day-active Muridae. Here we show that this rodent, when housed in constant darkness, displays a temporal rhythmicity of metabolism matching its diurnal behaviour (i.e., high levels of plasma leptin and hepatic glycogen during subjective midday and dusk, respectively). Regarding clockwork in their SCN, these mice show peaks in the mRNA profiles of the circadian gene Period1 (Per1) and the clock-controlled gene Vasopressin (Avp), which occur during the middle and late subjective day, respectively, in accordance with many observations in both diurnal and nocturnal species. Strikingly, expression of the circadian gene Clock in the SCN of the Barbary striped grass mouse was not constitutive as in nocturnal rodents, but it was rhythmic. As this is also the case for the other diurnal species investigated in the literature (sheep, marmoset, and quail), a hypothesis is that the transcriptional control of Clock within the SCN participates in the mechanisms underlying diurnality and nocturnality.

The effect of different photoperiods in circadian rhythms of per3 knockout mice

The aim of this study was to analyse the circadian behavioural responses of mice carrying a functional knockout of the Per3 gene (Per3^−/−) to different light : dark (L : D) cycles. Male adult wild-type (WT) and Per3^−/− mice were kept under 12-hour light : 12-hour dark conditions (12L : 12D) and then transferred to either a short or long photoperiod and subsequently released into total darkness. All mice were exposed to both conditions, and behavioural activity data were acquired through running wheel activity and analysed for circadian characteristics during these conditions. We observed that, during the transition from 12L : 12D to 16L : 8D, Per3^−/− mice take approximately one additional day to synchronise to the new L : D cycle compared to WT mice. Under these long photoperiod conditions, Per3^−/− mice were more active in the light phase. Our results suggest that Per3^−/− mice are less sensitive to light. The data presented here provides further evidence that Per3 is involved in the suppression of behavioural activity in direct response to light.

Seasonal time measurement during reproduction

Most species living outside the tropical zone undergo physiological adaptations to seasonal environmental changes and changing day length (photoperiod); this phenomenon is called photoperiodism. It is well known that the circadian clock is involved in the regulation of photoperiodism such as seasonal reproduction, but the mechanism underlying circadian clock regulation of photoperiodism remains unclear. Recent molecular analysis have revealed that, in mammals and birds, the pars tuberalis (PT) of the pituitary gland acts as the relay point from light receptors, which receive information about the photoperiod, to the endocrine responses. Long-day (LD)-induced thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the PT acts as a master regulator of seasonal reproduction in the ependymal cells (ECs) within the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) and activates thyroid hormone (TH) by inducing the expression of type 2 deiodinase in both LD and short-day (SD) breeding animals. Furthermore, the circadian clock has been found to be localized in the PT and ECs as well as in the circadian pacemaker(s). This review purposes to summarize the current knowledge concerning the involvement of the neuroendocrine system and circadian clock in seasonal reproduction.

The trouble with circadian clock dysfunction: multiple deleterious effects on the brain and body

This review consolidates research employing human correlational and experimental work across brain and body with experimental animal models to provide a more complete representation of how circadian rhythms influence almost all aspects of life. In doing so, we will cover the morphological and biochemical pathways responsible for rhythm generation as well as interactions between these systems and others (e.g., stress, feeding, reproduction). The effects of circadian disruption on the health of humans, including time of day effects, cognitive sequelae, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, diet, obesity, food preferences, mood disorders, and cancer will also be discussed. Subsequently, experimental support for these largely correlational human studies conducted in non-human animal models will be described.

Thyroid hormone and seasonal regulation of reproduction

Organisms living outside the tropics use changes in photoperiod to adapt to seasonal changes in the environment. Several models have contributed to an understanding of this mechanism at the molecular and endocrine levels. Subtropical birds are excellent models for the study of these mechanisms because of their rapid and dramatic response to changes in photoperiod. Studies of birds have demonstrated that light is perceived by a deep brain photoreceptor and long day-induced thyrotropin (TSH) from the pars tuberalis (PT) of the pituitary gland causes local thyroid hormone activation within the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH). The locally generated bioactive thyroid hormone, T₃, regulates seasonal gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion, and hence gonadotropin secretion. In mammals, the eyes are the only photoreceptor involved in photoperiodic time perception and nocturnal melatonin secretion provides an endocrine signal of photoperiod to the PT to regulate TSH. Here, I review the current understanding of the hypothalamic mechanisms controlling seasonal reproduction in mammals and birds.

Central control of circadian phase in arousal-promoting neurons

Cells of the dorsomedial/lateral hypothalamus (DMH/LH) that produce hypocretin (HCRT) promote arousal in part by activation of cells of the locus coeruleus (LC) which express tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) drives endogenous daily rhythms, including those of sleep and wakefulness. These circadian oscillations are generated by a transcriptional-translational feedback loop in which the Period (Per) genes constitute critical components. This cell-autonomous molecular clock operates not only within the SCN but also in neurons of other brain regions. However, the phenotype of such neurons and the nature of the phase controlling signal from the pacemaker are largely unknown. We used dual fluorescent in situ hybridization to assess clock function in vasopressin, HCRT and TH cells of the SCN, DMH/LH and LC, respectively, of male Syrian hamsters. In the first experiment, we found that Per1 expression in HCRT and TH oscillated in animals held in constant darkness with a peak phase that lagged that in AVP cells of the SCN by several hours. In the second experiment, hamsters induced to split their locomotor rhythms by exposure to constant light had asymmetric Per1 expression within cells of the middle SCN at 6 h before activity onset (AO) and in HCRT cells 9 h before and at AO. We did not observe evidence of lateralization of Per1 expression in the LC. We conclude that the SCN communicates circadian phase to HCRT cells via lateralized neural projections, and suggests that Per1 expression in the LC may be regulated by signals of a global or bilateral nature.

Melanopsin, photosensitive ganglion cells, and seasonal affective disorder

In two recent reports, melanopsin gene variations were associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and in changes in the timing of sleep and activity in healthy individuals. New studies have deepened our understanding of the retinohypothalamic tract, which translates environmental light received by the retina into neural signals sent to a set of nonvisual nuclei in the brain that are responsible for functions other than sight including circadian, neuroendocrine and neurobehavioral regulation. Because this pathway mediates seasonal changes in physiology, behavior, and mood, individual variations in the pathway may explain why approximately 1-2% of the North American population develops mood disorders with a seasonal pattern (i.e., Major Depressive and Bipolar Disorders with a seasonal pattern, also known as seasonal affective disorder/SAD). Components of depression including mood changes, sleep patterns, appetite, and cognitive performance can be affected by the biological and behavioral responses to light. Specifically, variations in the gene sequence for the retinal photopigment, melanopsin, may be responsible for significant increased risk for mood disorders with a seasonal pattern, and may do so by leading to changes in activity and sleep timing in winter. The retinal sensitivity of SAD is hypothesized to be decreased compared to controls, and that further decrements in winter light levels may combine to trigger depression in winter. Here we outline steps for new research to address the possible role of melanopsin in seasonal affective disorder including chromatic pupillometry designed to measure the sensitivity of melanopsin containing retinal ganglion cells.

Photic Sensitivity for Circadian Response to Light Varies with Photoperiod

The response of the circadian system to light varies markedly depending on photic history. Under short day lengths, hamsters exhibit larger maximal light-induced phase shifts as compared with those under longer photoperiods. However, effects of photoperiod length on sensitivity to subsaturating light remain unknown. Here, Syrian hamsters were entrained to long or short photoperiods and subsequently exposed to a 15-min light pulse across a range of irradiances (0-68.03 µW/cm2) to phase shift activity rhythms. Phase advances exhibited a dose response, with increasing irradiances eliciting greater phase resetting in both conditions. Photic sensitivity, as measured by the half-saturation constant, was increased 40-fold in the short photoperiod condition. In addition, irradiances that generated similar phase advances under short and long days produced equivalent phase delays, and equal photon doses produced larger delays in the short photoperiod condition. Mechanistically, equivalent light exposure induced greater pERK, PER1, and cFOS immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of animals under shorter days. Patterns of immunoreactivity in all 3 proteins were related to the size of the phase shift rather than the intensity of the photic stimulus, suggesting that photoperiod modulation of light sensitivity lies upstream of these events within the signal transduction cascade. This modulation of light sensitivity by photoperiod means that considerably less light is necessary to elicit a circadian response under the relatively shorter days of winter, extending upon the known seasonal changes in sensitivity of sensory systems. Further characterizing the mechanisms by which photoperiod alters photic response may provide a potent tool for optimizing light treatment for circadian and affective disorders in humans.

Circadian clocks and the measurement of daylength in seasonal reproduction

Temperate zone organisms measure changes in daylength to adapt to seasonal changes in their environment. Recent studies have revealed that the long day (LD)-induced thyrotropin (TSH) in the pars tuberalis (PT) of the pituitary gland act as a master factor regulating seasonal reproduction on the the ependymal cells (ECs) within the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) to induce expression of type 2 deiodinase (Dio2), a thyroid hormone (TH)-activating enzyme in both LD and short day (SD) breeders. Locally activated TH in the MBH is believed to trigger GnRH secretion from the hypothalamus in LD breeders, while it terminates reproductive activity in SD breeders. Circadian clock is involved in seasonal time measurement and clock genes are expressed in the PT and ECs. Although circadian and melatonin-dependent control of TSH appears to link the circadian clock and the photoperiodic response in mammals, how this circadian clock measure daylength remains to be clarified.

Dynamic neuronal network organization of the circadian clock and possible deterioration in disease

In mammals, the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCNs) function as a circadian pacemaker that drives 24-h rhythms in physiology and behavior. The SCN is a multicellular clock in which the constituent oscillators show dynamics in their functional organization and phase coherence. Evidence has emerged that plasticity in phase synchrony among SCN neurons determines (i) the amplitude of the rhythm, (ii) the response to continuous light, (iii) the capacity to respond to seasonal changes, and (iv) the phase-resetting capacity. A decrease in circadian amplitude and phase-resetting capacity is characteristic during aging and can be a result of disease processes. Whether the decrease in amplitude is caused by a loss of synchronization or by a loss of single-cell rhythmicity remains to be determined and is important for the development of strategies to ameliorate circadian disorders.

Glucocorticoid-mediated nycthemeral and photoperiodic regulation of tph2 expression

In the Syrian hamster dorsal and median raphé nuclei, the tryptophan hydroxylase 2 gene (tph2), which codes the rate-limiting enzyme of serotonin synthesis, displays daily variations in its expression in animals entrained to a long but not to a short photoperiod. The present study aimed to assess the role of glucocorticoids in the nycthemeral and photoperiodic regulation of daily tph2 expression. In hamsters held in long photoperiod from birth, after adrenalectomy and glucocorticoid implants the suppression of glucocorticoid rhythms induced an abolition of the daily variations in tph2-mRNA concentrations, a decrease in the amplitude of body temperature rhythms and an increase in testosterone levels. All these effects were reversed after experimental restoration of a clear daily rhythm in the plasma glucocorticoid concentrations. We conclude that the photoperiod-dependent rhythm of glucocorticoids is the main regulator of tph2 daily expression.

Photoperiodic modulation of clock gene expression in the avian premammillary nucleus

The premammillary nucleus (PMM) has been shown to contain a daily endogenous dual-oscillation in dopamine (DA)/melatonin (MEL) as well as c-fos mRNA expression that is associated with the daily photo-inducible phase of gonad growth in turkeys. In the present study, the expression of clock genes (Bmal1, Clock, Cry1, Cry2, Per2 and Per3) in the PMM was determined under short (8 : 16 h light/dark cycle) and long (16 : 8 h light/dark cycle) photoperiods relative to changes associated with the diurnal rhythm of DA and MEL. Constant darkness (0 : 24 h light/dark cycle) was used to assess the endogenous response of clock genes. In addition, light pulses were given at zeitgeber time (ZT) 8, 14 and 20 to ascertain whether clock gene expression is modulated by light pulse stimulation and therefore has a daily phase-related response. In the PMM, the temporal clock gene expression profiles were similar under short and long photoperiods, except that Per3 gene was phase-delayed by approximately 16 h under long photoperiod. In addition, Cry1 and Per3 genes were light-induced at ZT 14, the photosensitive phase for gonad recrudescence, whereas the Clock gene was repressed. Gene expression in established circadian pacemakers, the visual suprachiasmatic nucleus (vSCN) and the pineal, was also determined. Clock genes in the pineal gland were rhythmic under both photoperiods, and were not altered after light pulses at ZT 14, which suggests that pineal clock genes may not be associated with the photosensitive phase and reproductive activities. In the vSCN, clock gene expression was phase-shifted depending on the photoperiod, with apexes at night under short day length and during the day under long day length. Furthermore, light pulses at ZT 14 induced the Per2 gene, whereas it repressed the Bmal1 gene. Taken together, the changes in clock gene expression observed within the PMM were unique compared to the pineal and vSCN, and were induced by long photoperiod and light during the daily photosensitive phase; stimuli that are also documented to promote reproductive activity. These results show that Cry1 and Per3 are involved in the photic response associated with the PMM neuronal activation and are coincident with an essential circadian mechanism (photosensitive phase) controlling the reproductive neuroendocrine system.

Expression of clock genes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus: effect of environmental lighting conditions

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the anatomical substrate for the principal circadian clock coordinating daily rhythms in a vast array of behavioral and physiological responses. Individual SCN neurons are cellular oscillators and are organized into a multi-oscillator network following unique spatiotemporal patterns. The rhythms generated in the SCN are generally entrained to the environmental light dark cycle, which is the most salient cue influencing the network organization of the SCN. The neural network in the SCN is a heterogeneous structure, containing two major compartments identified by applying physiological and functional criteria, namely the retinorecipient core region and the highly rhythmic shell region. Changes in the environmental lighting condition are first detected and processed by the core region, and then conveyed to the rest of the SCN, leading to adaptive responses of the entire network. This review will focus on the studies that explore the responses of the SCN network by examining the expression of clock genes, under various lighting paradigms, such as acute light exposure, lighting schedules or exposure to different light durations. The results will be discussed under the framework of functionally distinct SCN sub regions and oscillator groups. The evidence presented here suggests that the environmental lighting conditions alter the spatiotemporal organization of the cellular oscillators within the SCN, which consequently affect the overt rhythms in behavior and physiology. Thus, information on how the SCN network elements respond to environmental cues is key to understanding the human health problems that stem from circadian rhythm disruption.

Daily Torpor Alters Multiple Gene Expression in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus and Pineal Gland of the Djungarian Hamster (Phodopus sungorus)

Circadian rhythms are still expressed in animals that display daily torpor, implying a temperature compensation of the pacemaker. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how the clock works in hypothermic states and whether torpor itself, as a temperature pulse, affects the circadian system. To reveal changes in the clockwork during torpor, we compared clock gene and neuropeptide expression by in situ hybridization in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and pineal gland of normothermic and torpid Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). Animals from light-dark (LD) 8ratio16 were sacrificed at 8 time points throughout 24 h. To investigate the effect of a previous torpor episode on the clock, we sacrificed a group of normothermic hamsters 1 day after torpor. In normothermic animals, Per1 peaked at zeitgeber time (ZT)4; whereas, Bmal1 reached maximal expression between ZT16 and ZT19. AVP mRNA in the SCN showed highest levels at ZT7. On the day of torpor, the levels of all mRNAs investigated, except for AVP mRNA, were increased during the torpor bout. Moreover, the Bmal1 rhythm was advanced. On the day after the hypothermia, Bmal1 and AVP rhythms showed severely depressed amplitude. Those distinct amplitude changes of Bmal1 and AVP on the day after a torpor episode expression suggests that torpor affects the circadian system, probably by altered translational processes that might lead to a modified protein feedback on gene expression. In the pineal gland, an important clock output, Aanat expression, peaked between ZT16 and ZT22 in normothermic animals. Aanat levels were significantly advanced on the day of hypothermia, an effect which was still visible 1 day afterward. In summary, this study showed that daily torpor affects the phase and amplitude of rhythmic clock gene and clock-controlled gene expression in the SCN. Furthermore, the rhythmic gene expression in a peripheral oscillator, the pineal gland, is also affected.

Endogenous rhythmicity of Bmal1 and Rev-erb alpha in the hamster pineal gland is not driven by norepinephrine

Pineal melatonin is synthesized with daily and seasonal rhythms following the hypothalamic clock-driven release of norepinephrine (NE). The pineal gland of rats and mice, like the biological clock, expresses a number of clock genes. However, the role of pineal clock elements in pineal physiology is still unknown. We examined the expression and regulation of several clock genes (Per1, Cry2, Bmal1 and Rev-erb alpha) under different lighting conditions or following adrenergic treatments in the Syrian hamster, a seasonal rodent. We found that Per1 and Cry2 genes were similarly regulated by the nocturnal release of NE: levels of Per1 and Cry2 mRNA displayed a nocturnal increase that was maintained after 2 days in constant darkness (DD) but abolished after 2 days under constant light (LL), a condition that suppresses endogenous NE release, or after an early night administration of the adrenergic antagonist propranolol. In contrast, Bmal1 and Rev-erb alpha exhibited a different pattern of expression and regulation. mRNA levels of both clock genes displayed a marked daily variation, maintained in DD, with higher values at midday for Bmal1 and at day/night transition for Rev-erb alpha. Remarkably, the daily variation of both Bmal1 and Rev-erb alpha mRNA was maintained in LL conditions and was not affected by propranolol. This study confirms the daily regulation of Per1 and Cry2 gene expression by NE in the pineal gland of rodents and shows for the first time that a second set of clock genes, Bmal1 and Rev-erb alpha are expressed with a circadian rhythm independent of the hypothalamic clock-driven noradrenergic signal.

Rhythmic expression of clock genes in the ependymal cell layer of the third ventricle of rodents is independent of melatonin signaling

Reproductive physiology is regulated by the photoperiod in many mammals. Decoding of the photoperiod involves circadian clock mechanisms, although the molecular basis remains unclear. Recent studies have shown that the ependymal cell layer lining the infundibular recess of the third ventricle (EC) is a key structure for the photoperiodic gonadal response. The EC exhibits daylength-dependent changes in the expression of photoperiodic output genes, including the type 2 deiodinase gene (Dio2 ). Here we investigated whether clock genes (Per1 and Bmal1) and the albumin D-binding protein gene (Dbp) are expressed in the EC of Syrian hamsters, and whether their expression differs under long-day and short-day conditions. Expression of all three genes followed a diurnal rhythm; expression of Per1 and Dbp in the EC peaked around lights-off, and expression of Bmal1 peaked in the early light phase. The amplitude of Per1 and Dbp expression was higher in hamsters kept under long-day conditions than in those kept under short-day conditions. Notably, the expression of these genes was not modified by exogenous melatonin within 25 h after injection, whereas Dio2 expression was inhibited 19 h after injection. Targeted melatonin receptor (MT1, MT2, and both MT1 and MT2) disruption in melatonin-proficient C3H mice did not affect the rhythmic expression of Per1 in the EC. These data show the existence of a molecular clock in the rodent EC. In the hamster, this clock responds to long-term changes in the photoperiod, but is independent of acute melatonin signals. In mice, the EC clock is not affected by deletion of melatonin receptors.

Photoperiod alters phase difference between activity onset in vivo and mPer2::luc peak in vitro

Photoperiod is a significant modulator of behavior and physiology for many organisms. In rodents changes in photoperiod are associated with changes in circadian period and photic resetting of circadian pacemakers. Utilizing rhythms of in vivo behavior and in vitro mPer2::luc expression, we investigated whether different entrainment photoperiods [light:dark (L:D) 16:8 and L:D 8:16] alter the period or phase relationships between these rhythms and the entraining light cycle in Per2::luc C57BL/6J mice. We also tested whether mPer2::luc rhythms differs in anterior and posterior suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) slices. Our results demonstrate that photoperiod significantly changes the timing of the mPer2::luc peak relative to the time of light offset and the activity onset in vivo. In both L:D 8:16 and L:D 16:8 the mPer2::luc peak maintained a more stable phase relationship to activity offset, while altering the phase relationship to activity onset. After the initial cycle in culture, the period, phase, and peaks per cycle were not significantly different for anterior vs. posterior SCN slices taken from animals within one photoperiod. After short-photoperiod treatment, anterior SCN slices showed increased-amplitude Per2::luc waveforms and posterior SCN slices showed shorter-duration peak width. Finally, the SCN tissue in vitro did not demonstrate differences in period attributable to photoperiod pretreatment, indicating that period aftereffects observed in behavioral rhythms after long- and short-day photoperiods are not sustained in Per2::luc rhythms in vitro. The change in phase relationship to activity onset suggests that Per2::luc rhythms in the SCN may track activity offset rather than activity onset. The reduced amplitude rhythms following long-photoperiod treatment may represent a loss of coupling of component oscillators.

Serotonergic potentiation of dark pulse-induced phase-shifting effects at midday in hamsters

In mammals, resetting of the suprachiasmatic clock (SCN) by behavioral activation or serotonin (5-HT) agonists is mimicked by dark pulses, presented during subjective day in constant light (LL). Because behavioral resetting may be mediated in part by 5-HT inputs to the SCN, here we determined whether 5-HT system can modulate dark-induced phase-shifts in Syrian hamsters housed in LL. Two hours of darkness at mid-subjective day (circadian time 6; CT-6) resulted in increased concentrations of 5-HT in the SCN tissue and induction of c-FOS expression in the raphe nuclei. Injections of the 5-HT(1A/7) agonist +8-OH-DPAT or dark pulses at CT-6 induced phase-advances of the wheel-running activity rhythm and down-regulated the expression of the clock genes Per1-2 and c-FOS in the SCN in a similar way. The combination of both treatments [+8-OH-DPAT + dark pulses], however, resulted in larger phase-advances, while associated molecular changes were not significantly modified, except for the gene Dbp, in comparison to +8-OH-DPAT or dark pulses alone. Dark resetting was blocked by pre-treatment with a 5-HT(7) antagonist, but not with a 5-HT(1A) antagonist. The additive phase-shifts of two different cues to reset the SCN clock open wide the gateway for non-photic shifting, leading to new strategies in chronotherapy.

Minireview: Entrainment of the suprachiasmatic clockwork in diurnal and nocturnal mammals

Daily rhythmicity, including timing of wakefulness and hormone secretion, is mainly controlled by a master clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. The SCN clockwork involves various clock genes, with specific temporal patterns of expression that are similar in nocturnal and diurnal species (e.g. the clock gene Per1 in the SCN peaks at midday in both categories). Timing of sensitivity to light is roughly similar, during nighttime, in diurnal and nocturnal species. Molecular mechanisms of photic resetting are also comparable in both species categories. By contrast, in animals housed in constant light, exposure to darkness can reset the SCN clock, mostly during the resting period, i.e. at opposite circadian times between diurnal and nocturnal species. Nonphotic stimuli, such as scheduled voluntary exercise, food shortage, exogenous melatonin, or serotonergic receptor activation, are also capable of shifting the master clock and/or modulating photic synchronization. Comparison between day- and night-active species allows classifications of nonphotic cues in two, arousal-independent and arousal-dependent, families of factors. Arousal-independent factors, such as melatonin (always secreted during nighttime, independently of daily activity pattern) or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), have shifting effects at the same circadian times in both nocturnal and diurnal rodents. By contrast, arousal-dependent factors, such as serotonin (its cerebral levels follow activity pattern), induce phase shifts only during resting and have opposite modulating effects on photic resetting between diurnal and nocturnal species. Contrary to light and arousal-independent nonphotic cues, arousal-dependent nonphotic stimuli provide synchronizing feedback signals to the SCN clock in circadian antiphase between nocturnal and diurnal animals.

Organization of cell and tissue circadian pacemakers: a comparison among species

In most animal species, a circadian timing system has evolved as a strategy to cope with 24-hour rhythms in the environment. Circadian pacemakers are essential elements of the timing system and have been identified in anatomically discrete locations in animals ranging from insects to mammals. Rhythm generation occurs in single pacemaker neurons and is based on the interacting negative and positive molecular feedback loops. Rhythmicity in behavior and physiology is regulated by neuronal networks in which synchronization or coupling is required to produce coherent output signals. Coupling occurs among individual clock cells within an oscillating tissue, among functionally distinct subregions within the pacemaker, and between central pacemakers and the periphery. Recent evidence indicates that peripheral tissues can influence central pacemakers and contain autonomous circadian oscillators that contribute to the regulation of overt rhythmicity. The data discussed in this review describe coupling and synchronization mechanisms at the cell and tissue levels. By comparing the pacemaker systems of several multicellular animal species (Drosophila, cockroaches, crickets, snails, zebrafish and mammals), we will explore general organizational principles by which the circadian system regulates a 24-hour rhythmicity.

Candidate loci reveal genetic differentiation between temporally divergent migratory runs of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Local adaptation is a dynamic process driven by selection that can vary both in space and time. One important temporal adaptation for migratory animals is the time at which individuals return to breeding sites. Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) are excellent subjects for studying the genetic basis of temporal adaptation because their high seasonal homing fidelity promotes reproductive isolation leading to the formation of local populations across diverse environments. We tested for adaptive genetic differentiation between seasonal runs of Chinook salmon using two candidate loci; the circadian rhythm gene, OtsClock1b, and Ots515NWFSC, a microsatellite locus showing sequence identity to three salmonid genes central to reproductive development. We found significant evidence for two genetically distinct migratory runs in the Feather River, California (OtsClock1b: F(ST)=0.042, P=0.02; Ots515NWFSC: F(ST)=0.058, P=0.003). In contrast, the fall and threatened spring runs are genetically homogenous based on neutral microsatellite data (F(ST)=-0.0002). Similarly, two temporally divergent migratory runs of Chinook salmon from New Zealand are genetically differentiated based on polymorphisms in the candidate loci (OtsClock1b: F(ST)=0.083, P-value=0.001; Ots515NWFSC: F(ST)=0.095, P-value=0.000). We used an individual-based assignment method to confirm that these recently diverged populations originated from a single source in California. Tests for selective neutrality indicate that OtsClock1b and Ots515NWFSC exhibit substantial departures from neutral expectations in both systems. The large F(ST )estimates could therefore be the result of directional selection. Evidence presented here suggests that OtsClock1b and Ots515NWFSC may influence migration and spawning timing of Chinook salmon in these river systems.

Transcription factor dynamics in pineal gland and liver of the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) adapts to prevailing photoperiod

The anticipation of day length and duration of darkness is necessary and advantageous for animals to survive and requires a photoperiodic memory. In the Syrian hamster this adaptation to photoperiod is mirrored by seasonal changes in the animal's reproductive state and its liver metabolism. Both events are linked to season-dependent alterations of the nocturnally elevated synthesis of the pineal hormone melatonin. To decipher molecules that are involved in this temporal gating, hamsters were exposed to long photoperiod (16 hr light:8 hr darkness; LP), or short photoperiod (8 hr light:16 hr darkness; SP). Dynamics in gene expression was investigated in the pineal gland [inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER)], and in the liver (ICER; C/EBPdelta; clock genes) using immunochemistry and reverse transcriptase PCR. While in the pineal, ICER rhythms tightly follow the prior duration of light and dark with decreasing levels at the beginning of the dark period in both LP and SP, ICER is not rhythmic in liver. In the liver, clock genes and their protein products reflect differences in photoperiodic history, with enhanced rhythm amplitudes of PER, CRY, CLOCK, and BMAL1 under SP conditions. Thus, in the Syrian hamster transcription factor expression patterns lock onto the prevailing photoperiod in two peripheral oscillators, the pineal gland and the liver, to function as mediators of suprachiasmatic nucleus-derived information on environmental light and dark. This tissue-specific gating in gene transcription represents a strategy to ameliorate consequences of altering environmental lighting conditions on endocrine and metabolic parameters that endow a strong circadian bias.