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Felder-Schmittbuhl MP, Hicks D, Ribelayga CP, Tosini G. Melatonin in the mammalian retina: Synthesis, mechanisms of action and neuroprotection. J Pineal Res 2024; 76:e12951. [PMID: 38572848 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Melatonin is an important player in the regulation of many physiological functions within the body and in the retina. Melatonin synthesis in the retina primarily occurs during the night and its levels are low during the day. Retinal melatonin is primarily synthesized by the photoreceptors, but whether the synthesis occurs in the rods and/or cones is still unclear. Melatonin exerts its influence by binding to G protein-coupled receptors named melatonin receptor type 1 (MT1) and type 2 (MT2). MT1 and MT2 receptors activate a wide variety of signaling pathways and both receptors are present in the vertebrate photoreceptors where they may form MT1/MT2 heteromers (MT1/2h). Studies in rodents have shown that melatonin signaling plays an important role in the regulation of retinal dopamine levels, rod/cone coupling as well as the photopic and scotopic electroretinogram. In addition, melatonin may play an important role in protecting photoreceptors from oxidative stress and can protect photoreceptors from apoptosis. Critically, melatonin signaling is involved in the modulation of photoreceptor viability during aging and other studies have implicated melatonin in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration. Hence melatonin may represent a useful tool in the fight to protect photoreceptors-and other retinal cells-against degeneration due to aging or diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Paule Felder-Schmittbuhl
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (UPR 3212), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - David Hicks
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (UPR 3212), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Christophe P Ribelayga
- Department of Vision Sciences, College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Gianluca Tosini
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Non-visual Opsins and Novel Photo-Detectors in the Vertebrate Inner Retina Mediate Light Responses Within the Blue Spectrum Region. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2020; 42:59-83. [PMID: 33231827 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-00997-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, a number of novel non-visual opsin photopigments belonging to the family of G protein- coupled receptors, likely involved in a number of non-image-forming processes, have been identified and characterized in cells of the inner retina of vertebrates. It is now known that the vertebrate retina is composed of visual photoreceptor cones and rods responsible for diurnal/color and nocturnal/black and white vision, and cells like the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) and photosensitive horizontal cells in the inner retina, both detecting blue light and expressing the photopigment melanopsin (Opn4). Remarkably, these non-visual photopigments can continue to operate even in the absence of vision under retinal degeneration. Moreover, inner retinal neurons and Müller glial cells have been shown to express other photopigments such as the photoisomerase retinal G protein-coupled receptor (RGR), encephalopsin (Opn3), and neuropsin (Opn5), all able to detect blue/violet light and implicated in chromophore recycling, retinal clock synchronization, neuron-to-glia communication, and other activities. The discovery of these new photopigments in the inner retina of vertebrates is strong evidence of novel light-regulated activities. This review focuses on the features, localization, photocascade, and putative functions of these novel non-visual opsins in an attempt to shed light on their role in the inner retina of vertebrates and in the physiology of the whole organism.
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3
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Adamska I, Malz M, Lewczuk B, Blügental N, Markowska MA, Meronka R, Majewski PM. Daily Profiles of Neuropeptides, Catecholamines, and Neurotransmitter Receptors in the Chicken Pineal Gland. Front Physiol 2019; 9:1972. [PMID: 30697171 PMCID: PMC6340997 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The avian pineal gland is one of three central biological clocks that contain all the components of a circadian system: a photoreceptive input, oscillator, and rhythmically secreted melatonin (MEL) as an effector. The biosynthesis of MEL is regulated by the neurotransmitters noradrenaline (NA), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP). The aim of the present study was to characterize the daily profile of neurotransmitters and their receptors in the pineal gland of male Hy-Line chickens housed under controlled light (12:12 light:dark) conditions. The pineal glands were isolated from 16-day-old birds every 2 h over a 24-h period, immediately after decapitation. The catecholamine content was measured using HPLC with electrochemical detection, whereas expression of VIP and PACAP was measured using quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) assays and Western blotting. Expression of the neurotransmitter receptors was also measured using RT-qPCR. We found daily changes in NA content, with elevated nocturnal levels, whereas the NA receptor was expressed in antiphase. Although we did not observe daily changes in VIP and PACAP protein levels, we found prominent diurnal changes in the expression of the Vip and Pacap genes. We also detected precursors of NA, 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA), and dopamine (DA) in the pineal glands, in addition to the DA metabolites. Our results provide the first evidence that the pineal gland itself may synthetize the neurotransmitters needed to regulate MEL biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Adamska
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Monika Malz
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bogdan Lewczuk
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Natalia Blügental
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Robert Meronka
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paweł Marek Majewski
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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4
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Ko GYP. Circadian regulation in the retina: From molecules to network. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 51:194-216. [PMID: 30270466 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian retina is the most unique tissue among those that display robust circadian/diurnal oscillations. The retina is not only a light sensing tissue that relays light information to the brain, it has its own circadian "system" independent from any influence from other circadian oscillators. While all retinal cells and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) possess circadian oscillators, these oscillators integrate by means of neural synapses, electrical coupling (gap junctions), and released neurochemicals (such as dopamine, melatonin, adenosine, and ATP), so the whole retina functions as an integrated circadian system. Dysregulation of retinal clocks not only causes retinal or ocular diseases, it also impacts the circadian rhythm of the whole body, as the light information transmitted from the retina entrains the brain clock that governs the body circadian rhythms. In this review, how circadian oscillations in various retinal cells are integrated, and how retinal diseases affect daily rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gladys Y-P Ko
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.,Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
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5
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Shi L, Chang JYA, Yu F, Ko ML, Ko GYP. The Contribution of L-Type Ca v1.3 Channels to Retinal Light Responses. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:394. [PMID: 29259539 PMCID: PMC5723326 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LTCCs) regulate tonic neurotransmitter release from sensory neurons including retinal photoreceptors. There are three types of LTCCs (Cav1.2, Cav1.3, and Cav1.4) expressed in the retina. While Cav1.2 is expressed in all retinal cells including the Müller glia and neurons, Cav1.3 and Cav1.4 are expressed in the retinal neurons with Cav1.4 exclusively expressed in the photoreceptor synaptic terminals. Mutations in the gene encoding Cav1.4 cause incomplete X-linked congenital stationary night blindness in humans. Even though Cav1.3 is present in the photoreceptor inner segments and the synaptic terminals in various vertebrate species, its role in vision is unclear, since genetic alterations in Cav1.3 are not associated with severe vision impairment in humans or in Cav1.3-null (Cav1.3-/-) mice. However, a failure to regulate Cav1.3 was found in a mouse model of Usher syndrome, the most common cause of combined deafness and blindness in humans, indicating that Cav1.3 may contribute to retinal function. In this report, we combined physiological and morphological data to demonstrate the role of Cav1.3 in retinal physiology and function that has been undervalued thus far. Through ex vivo and in vivo electroretinogram (ERG) recordings and immunohistochemical staining, we found that Cav1.3 plays a role in retinal light responses and synaptic plasticity. Pharmacological inhibition of Cav1.3 decreased ex vivo ERG a- and b-wave amplitudes. In Cav1.3-/- mice, their dark-adapted ERG a-, b-wave, and oscillatory potential amplitudes were significantly dampened, and implicit times were delayed compared to the wild type (WT). Furthermore, the density of ribbon synapses was reduced in the outer plexiform layer of Cav1.3-/- mice retinas. Hence, Cav1.3 plays a more prominent role in retinal physiology and function than previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liheng Shi
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Janet Ya-An Chang
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Michael L Ko
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Gladys Y-P Ko
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States.,Texas A&M Institute of Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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6
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Abstract
Retinas of all classes of vertebrates contain endogenous circadian clocks that control many aspects of retinal physiology, including retinal sensitivity to light, neurohormone synthesis, and cellular events such as rod disk shedding, intracellular signaling pathways, and gene expression. The vertebrate retina is an example of a “peripheral” oscillator that is particularly amenable to study because this tissue is well characterized, the relationships between the various cell types are extensively studied, and many local clock-controlled rhythms are known. Although the existence of a photoreceptor clock is well established in several species, emerging data are consistent with multiple or dual oscillators within the retina that interact to control local physiology. Aprominent example is the antiphasic regulation of melaton in and dopamine in photoreceptors and inner retina, respectively. This review focuses on the similarities and differences in the molecular mechanisms of the retinal versus the SCN oscillators, as well as on the expression of core components of the circadian clockwork in retina. Finally, the interactions between the retinal clock(s) and the master clock in the SCN are examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla B Green
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
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7
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Popova E. Role of dopamine in distal retina. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2014; 200:333-58. [PMID: 24728309 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-014-0906-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine is the most abundant catecholamine in the vertebrate retina. Despite the description of retinal dopaminergic cells three decades ago, many aspects of their function in the retina remain unclear. There is no consensus among the authors about the stimulus conditions for dopamine release (darkness, steady or flickering light) as well as about its action upon the various types of retinal cells. Many contradictory results exist concerning the dopamine effect on the gross electrical activity of the retina [reflected in electroretinogram (ERG)] and the receptors involved in its action. This review summarized current knowledge about the types of the dopaminergic neurons and receptors in the retina as well as the effects of dopamine receptor agonists and antagonists on the light responses of photoreceptors, horizontal and bipolar cells in both nonmammalian and mammalian retina. Special focus of interest concerns their effects upon the diffuse ERG as a useful tool for assessment of the overall function of the distal retina. An attempt is made to reveal some differences between the dopamine actions upon the activity of the ON versus OFF channel in the distal retina. The author has included her own results demonstrating such differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Popova
- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Medical University, 1431, Sofia, Bulgaria,
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Cassone VM. Avian circadian organization: a chorus of clocks. Front Neuroendocrinol 2014; 35:76-88. [PMID: 24157655 PMCID: PMC3946898 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2013.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Revised: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 10/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In birds, biological clock function pervades all aspects of biology, controlling daily changes in sleep: wake, visual function, song, migratory patterns and orientation, as well as seasonal patterns of reproduction, song and migration. The molecular bases for circadian clocks are highly conserved, and it is likely the avian molecular mechanisms are similar to those expressed in mammals, including humans. The central pacemakers in the avian pineal gland, retinae and SCN dynamically interact to maintain stable phase relationships and then influence downstream rhythms through entrainment of peripheral oscillators in the brain controlling behavior and peripheral tissues. Birds represent an excellent model for the role played by biological clocks in human neurobiology; unlike most rodent models, they are diurnal, they exhibit cognitively complex social interactions, and their circadian clocks are more sensitive to the hormone melatonin than are those of nocturnal rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent M Cassone
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, United States.
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Kovacic P, Somanathan R. Cell signaling, receptors, electrical effects and therapy in circadian rhythm. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2013; 33:267-75. [PMID: 23914781 DOI: 10.3109/10799893.2013.822890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythm has been the object of much attention. This review addresses the aspects of cell signaling, receptors, therapy and electrical effects in a multifaceted fashion. The pineal gland, which produces the important hormones melatonin and serotonin, exerts a prominent influence, in addition to the supraschiasmatic nucleus. Many aspects involve free radicals which have played a widespread role in biochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kovacic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego , CA , USA and
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10
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Tosini G, Baba K, Hwang CK, Iuvone PM. Melatonin: an underappreciated player in retinal physiology and pathophysiology. Exp Eye Res 2012; 103:82-9. [PMID: 22960156 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2012.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2012] [Revised: 08/21/2012] [Accepted: 08/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the vertebrate retina, melatonin is synthesized by the photoreceptors with high levels of melatonin at night and lower levels during the day. Melatonin exerts its influence by interacting with a family of G-protein-coupled receptors that are negatively coupled with adenylyl cyclase. Melatonin receptors belonging to the subtypes MT(1) and MT(2) have been identified in the mammalian retina. MT(1) and MT(2) receptors are found in all layers of the neural retina and in the retinal pigmented epithelium. Melatonin in the eye is believed to be involved in the modulation of many important retinal functions; it can modulate the electroretinogram (ERG), and administration of exogenous melatonin increases light-induced photoreceptor degeneration. Melatonin may also have protective effects on retinal pigment epithelial cells, photoreceptors and ganglion cells. A series of studies have implicated melatonin in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration, and melatonin administration may represent a useful approach to prevent and treat glaucoma. Melatonin is used by millions of people around the world to retard aging, improve sleep performance, mitigate jet lag symptoms, and treat depression. Administration of exogenous melatonin at night may also be beneficial for ocular health, but additional investigation is needed to establish its potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Tosini
- Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Disorders Program, Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
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Akhlagh Moayed A, Hariri S, Choh V, Bizheva K. Correlation of visually evoked intrinsic optical signals and electroretinograms recorded from chicken retina with a combined functional optical coherence tomography and electroretinography system. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS 2012; 17:016011. [PMID: 22352661 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.17.1.016011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Visually evoked fast intrinsic optical signals (IOSs) were recorded for the first time in vivo from all layers of healthy chicken retina by using a combined functional optical coherence tomography (fOCT) and electroretinography (ERG) system. The fast IOSs were observed to develop within ∼5 ms from the on-set of the visual stimulus, whereas slow IOSs were measured up to 1 s later. The visually evoked IOSs and ERG traces were recorded simultaneously, and a clear correlation was observed between them. The ability to measure visually evoked fast IOSs non-invasively and in vivo from individual retinal layers could significantly improve the understanding of the complex communication between different retinal cell types in healthy and diseased retinas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Akhlagh Moayed
- University of Waterloo, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L3G1, Canada
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Moayed AA, Hariri S, Choh V, Bizheva K. In vivo imaging of intrinsic optical signals in chicken retina with functional optical coherence tomography. OPTICS LETTERS 2011; 36:4575-7. [PMID: 22139247 DOI: 10.1364/ol.36.004575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Visually evoked intrinsic optical signals (IOSs) were measured in vivo for the first time to our knowledge from all retina layers of the chicken retina with a combined functional optical coherence tomography and electroretinography (ERG) system. IOS traces were recorded from a small volume in the retina with 3.5 μm axial resolution and 7 ms time resolution. Comparison of the IOS and ERG traces shows a correlation between the positive and negative IOS measured from different retinal layers and the timing of the a and b waves in the ERG recording.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Akhlagh Moayed
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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13
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Gagné AM, Danilenko KV, Rosolen SG, Hébert M. Impact of oral melatonin on the electroretinogram cone response. J Circadian Rhythms 2009; 7:14. [PMID: 19922677 PMCID: PMC2785757 DOI: 10.1186/1740-3391-7-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2009] [Accepted: 11/19/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the eye, melatonin plays a role in promoting light sensitivity at night and modulating many aspects of circadian retinal physiology. It is also an inhibitor of retinal dopamine, which is a promoter of day vision through the cone system. Consequently, it is possible that oral melatonin (an inhibitor of retinal dopamine) taken to alleviate circadian disorders may affect cone functioning. Our aim was to assess the impact of melatonin on the cone response of the human retina using electroretinography (ERG). METHODS Twelve healthy participants aged between 18 to 52 years old were submitted to a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover, and counterbalanced-order design. The subjects were tested on 2 sessions beginning first with a baseline ERG, followed by the administration of the placebo or melatonin condition and then, 30 min later, a second ERG to test the effect. RESULTS Following oral melatonin administration, a significant decrease of about 8% of the cone maximal response was observed (mean 6.9 muV +/- SEM 2.0; P = 0.0065) along with a prolonged b-wave implicit time of 0.4 ms +/- 0.1, 50 minutes after ingestion. CONCLUSION Oral melatonin appears to reach the eye through the circulation. When it is administered at a time of day when it is not usually present, melatonin appears to reduce input to retinal cones. We believe that the impact of melatonin on retinal function should be taken into consideration when used without supervision in chronic self-medication for sleep or circadian disorder treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Marie Gagné
- Centre de Recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
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14
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Karaganis SP, Bartell PA, Shende VR, Moore AF, Cassone VM. Modulation of metabolic and clock gene mRNA rhythms by pineal and retinal circadian oscillators. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2009; 161:179-92. [PMID: 19136000 PMCID: PMC2728004 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2008.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2008] [Revised: 10/25/2008] [Accepted: 12/11/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Avian circadian organization involves interactions between three neural pacemakers: the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), pineal, and retina. Each of these structures is linked within a neuroendocrine loop to influence downstream processes and peripheral oscillations. However, the contribution of each structure to drive or synchronize peripheral oscillators or circadian outputs in avian species is largely unknown. To explore these interactions in the chick, we measured 2-deoxy[(14)C]-glucose (2DG) uptake and mRNA expression of the chick clock genes bmal1, cry1, and per3 in three brain areas and in two peripheral organs in chicks that underwent pinealectomy, enucleation, or sham surgery. We found that 2DG uptake rhythms damp under constant darkness in intact animals, while clock gene mRNA levels continue to cycle, demonstrating that metabolic rhythms are not directly driven by clock gene transcription. Moreover, 2DG rhythms are not phase-locked to rhythms of clock gene mRNA. However, pinealectomy and enucleation had similar disruptive effects on both metabolic and clock gene rhythms, suggesting that both of these oscillators act similarly to reinforce molecular and physiological rhythms in the chicken. Finally, we show that the relative phasing of at least one clock gene, cry1, varies between central and peripheral oscillators in a tissue specific manner. These data point to a complex, differential orchestration of central and peripheral oscillators in the chick, and, importantly, indicate a disconnect between canonical clock gene regulation and circadian control of metabolism.
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Valdez DJ, Nieto PS, Garbarino-Pico E, Avalle LB, Díaz-Fajreldines H, Schurrer C, Cheng KM, Guido ME. A nonmammalian vertebrate model of blindness reveals functional photoreceptors in the inner retina. FASEB J 2008; 23:1186-95. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.08-117085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego J. Valdez
- CIQUIBIC-Departamento de Química BiológicaFacultad de Ciencias Químicas Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba Argentina
| | - Paula S. Nieto
- CIQUIBIC-Departamento de Química BiológicaFacultad de Ciencias Químicas Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba Argentina
| | - Eduardo Garbarino-Pico
- CIQUIBIC-Departamento de Química BiológicaFacultad de Ciencias Químicas Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba Argentina
| | - Lucia B. Avalle
- Facultad de MatemáticasAstronomía y Física Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba Argentina
| | | | - Clemar Schurrer
- Facultad de MatemáticasAstronomía y Física Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba Argentina
| | - Kimberly M. Cheng
- Avian Research CenterFaculty of Land and Food Systems University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Mario E. Guido
- CIQUIBIC-Departamento de Química BiológicaFacultad de Ciencias Químicas Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba Argentina
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Storch KF, Paz C, Signorovitch J, Raviola E, Pawlyk B, Li T, Weitz CJ. Intrinsic circadian clock of the mammalian retina: importance for retinal processing of visual information. Cell 2007; 130:730-741. [PMID: 17719549 PMCID: PMC2040024 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2007.06.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 326] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2007] [Revised: 04/27/2007] [Accepted: 06/18/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Circadian clocks are widely distributed in mammalian tissues, but little is known about the physiological functions of clocks outside the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the brain. The retina has an intrinsic circadian clock, but its importance for vision is unknown. Here we show that mice lacking Bmal1, a gene required for clock function, had abnormal retinal transcriptional responses to light and defective inner retinal electrical responses to light, but normal photoreceptor responses to light and retinas that appeared structurally normal by light and electron microscopy. We generated mice with a retina-specific genetic deletion of Bmal1, and they had defects of retinal visual physiology essentially identical to those of mice lacking Bmal1 in all tissues and lacked a circadian rhythm of inner retinal electrical responses to light. Our findings indicate that the intrinsic circadian clock of the retina regulates retinal visual processing in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Florian Storch
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Carlos Paz
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James Signorovitch
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Elio Raviola
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Basil Pawlyk
- Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Berman-Gund Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02114, USA
| | - Tiansen Li
- Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Berman-Gund Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02114, USA
| | - Charles J Weitz
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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17
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Lundmark PO, Pandi-Perumal SR, Srinivasan V, Cardinali DP. Role of melatonin in the eye and ocular dysfunctions. Vis Neurosci 2007; 23:853-62. [PMID: 17266777 DOI: 10.1017/s0952523806230189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2006] [Accepted: 08/02/2006] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule and widely distributed in nature, with functional activity occurring in unicellular organisms, plants, fungi, and animals. Several studies have indicated that melatonin synthesis occurs in the retina of most vertebrates, including mammals. The retinal biosynthesis of melatonin and the mechanisms involved in the regulation of this process have been extensively studied. Circadian clocks located in the photoreceptors and retinal neurons regulate melatonin synthesis in the eye. Photoreceptors, dopaminergic amacrine neurons, and horizontal cells of the retina, corneal epithelium, stroma endothelium, and the sclera all have melatonin receptors, indicating a widespread ocular function for melatonin. In addition, melatonin is an effective antioxidant which scavenges free radicals and up-regulates several antioxidant enzymes. It also has a strong antiapoptotic signaling function, an effect that it exerts even during ischemia. Melatonin cytoprotective properties may have practical implications in the treatment of ocular diseases, like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per O Lundmark
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Buskerud University College, Kongsberg, Norway
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Cantwell EL, Cassone VM. Chicken suprachiasmatic nuclei: I. Efferent and afferent connections. J Comp Neurol 2006; 496:97-120. [PMID: 16528725 PMCID: PMC2590781 DOI: 10.1002/cne.20935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The avian circadian system is composed of multiple inputs, oscillators, and outputs. Among its oscillators are the pineal gland, retinae, and a hypothalamic structure assumed to be homologous to the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Two structures have been suggested as this homolog -- the medial SCN (mSCN) and the visual SCN (vSCN). The present study employed biotin dextran amine (BDA) and cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) as anterograde and retrograde tracers to investigate the connectivity of the mSCN and vSCN in order to address this issue. Intravitreal injections of CTB were used to determine whether one or both of these structures receives afferent input from retinal ganglion cells. Both the vSCN and mSCN receive terminal retinal input, with the strongest input terminating in the vSCN. Precise iontophoretic injections of BDA and CTB in the mSCN and vSCN were used to identify efferents and afferents. The avian mSCN and vSCN collectively express more efferents and afferents than does the mammalian SCN. A subset of these connections matches the connections that have been established in rodent species. Individually, both the mSCN and vSCN are similar to the mammalian SCN in terms of their connections. Based on these data and other studies, we present a working model of the avian SCN that includes both the mSCN and vSCN as hypothalamic oscillators. We contend that both structures are involved in a suprachiasmatic complex that, as a functional group, may be homologous to the mammalian SCN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L Cantwell
- Department of Biology and Center for Research on Biological Clocks, Texas A and M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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Ko GYP, Ko ML, Dryer SE. Circadian regulation of cGMP-gated channels of vertebrate cone photoreceptors: role of cAMP and Ras. J Neurosci 2004; 24:1296-304. [PMID: 14960600 PMCID: PMC2667374 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3560-03.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian oscillators in chicken cone photoreceptors regulate the gating properties of cGMP-gated cationic channels (CNGCs) such that they have a higher apparent affinity for cGMP during the subjective night. Here we show that cAMP, acting through protein kinase A (PKA), Ras, and Erk, is part of the circadian output pathway controlling CNGCs. Endogenous and exogenous cAMP cause activation of Erk and Ras, which are more active at night in cones, and increase the apparent affinity of CNGCs for cGMP. The Ras farnesyl transferase inhibitor manumycin-A, and a dominant-negative form of Ras (RasN17) block the circadian rhythms in CNGC gating, as well as the effects of cAMP. A dominant-negative form of the MEK kinase B-Raf also blocks circadian and cAMP modulation of CNGCs. The circadian output pathway modulating CNGC channels is comprised in part of cAMP --> PKA --> Ras --> B-Raf --> MEK --> Erk --> --> CNGCs. cAMP activation of Ras and Erk occur within minutes, whereas modulation of CNGCs requires >1 hr. However, cAMP protagonists do not alter rhythms in cPer2 mRNA, and their effects on CNGCs cannot be attributed to clock phase-shifting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gladys Y-P Ko
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry and Biological Clocks Program, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-5001, USA
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Guido ME, Carpentieri AR, Garbarino-Pico E. Circadian phototransduction and the regulation of biological rhythms. Neurochem Res 2002; 27:1473-89. [PMID: 12512952 DOI: 10.1023/a:1021696321391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate circadian system that controls most biological rhythms is composed of multiple oscillators with varied hierarchies and complex levels of organization and interaction. The retina plays a key role in the regulation of daily rhythms and light is the main synchronizer of the circadian system. To date, the identity of photoreceptors/photopigments responsible for the entrainment of biological rhythms is still uncertain; however, it is known that phototransduction must occur in the eye because light entrainment is lost with eye removal. The retina is also rhythmic in physiological and metabolic activities as well as in gene expression. Retinal oscillators may act like clocks to induce changes in the visual system according to the phase of the day by predicting environmental changes. These oscillatory and photoreceptive capacities are likely to converge all together on selected retinal cells. The aim of this overview is to present the current knowledge of retinal physiology in relation to the circadian timing system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario E Guido
- CIQUIBIC (CONICET)-Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cuidad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.
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Wu WQ, McGoogan JM, Cassone VM. Circadian regulation of visually evoked potentials in the domestic pigeon, Columba livia. J Biol Rhythms 2000; 15:317-28. [PMID: 10942263 DOI: 10.1177/074873000129001422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The avian circadian and visual systems are integrally related and together influence many aspects of birds' behavior and physiology. Certainly, light cycles and their visual perception are the major zeitgebers for circadian rhythms, but do circadian rhythms affect vision? To assess whether visual function is regulated on a circadian basis, flash-evoked electroretinograms (ERGs) and vision-evoked potentials (VEPs) from the optic tectum (TeO) were recorded simultaneously in domestic pigeons at different circadian phases in a light-dark regime (LD) and in constant darkness (DD), while feeding activity was measured to determine circadian phase. In both LD and DD, the amplitudes of ERG b-waves were higher during the day than at night and latencies of a- and b-waves were longer at night. The median effective intensity for ERG a-wave was marginally higher during the day than during the night, indicating greater sensitivity at night, but this rhythm did not persist in DD. The amplitudes of TeO VEPs were also greater during the day, and latencies were greater at night in LD and DD. Together, the data indicate that a circadian clock regulates pigeon visual function at several integrative levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Q Wu
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-3258, USA
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