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. 2005 Feb 22;102(8):3111-6.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.0409734102. Epub 2005 Feb 14.

Differential control of peripheral circadian rhythms by suprachiasmatic-dependent neural signals

Hongnian Guo  1 , Judy McKinley Brewer, Ameya Champhekar, Ruth B S Harris, Eric L Bittman
Affiliations

Differential control of peripheral circadian rhythms by suprachiasmatic-dependent neural signals

Hongnian Guo et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .

Abstract

Although dependent on the integrity of a central pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SCN), endogenous daily (circadian) rhythms are expressed in a wide variety of peripheral organs. The pathways by which the pacemaker controls the periphery are unclear. Here, we used parabiosis between intact and SCN-lesioned mice to show that nonneural (behavioral or bloodborne) signals are adequate to maintain circadian rhythms of clock gene expression in liver and kidney, but not in heart, spleen, or skeletal muscle. These results indicate that the SCN regulates expression of circadian oscillations in different peripheral organs by diverse pathways.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
SCN lesions eliminate circadian rhythms of peripheral gene expression in liver and kidney of control (nonparabiotic) mice. Mean (±SEM) expression of mPer1, mPer2, and mBmal1 (relative to GAPDH) in liver and kidney of intact or SCN-lesioned mice killed on the third day of constant darkness at ZT1 (white bars) or ZT13 (black bars) is shown. ZT1 values differed significantly from those at ZT13 in intact, but not in SCN-lesioned, mice (*, P < 0.05).
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Parabiosis of SCN-lesioned mice to intact partners reinstates circadian rhythms of relative mPer1, mPer2, and mBmal1gene expression in liver and kidney. The nonlesioned (intact partners) and the brain damaged (SCN-lesioned partners) mice showed similar ZT1 versus ZT13 differences in mRNA values. Symbols are as in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
SCN lesions eliminate circadian rhythms of peripheral gene expression in heart, skeletal muscle, and spleen of control (nonparabiotic) mice. Symbols are as in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Parabiosis of SCN-lesioned mice to intact partners fails to reinstate circadian rhythms of relative mPer1, mPer2, and mBmal1 gene expression in heart, spleen, and skeletal muscle. The nonlesioned animals (intact partners) show ZT1 and ZT13 patterns similar to those of mice in intact–intact pairs, whereas the brain-damaged mice (SCN-lesioned partners) showed no significant rhythms in mRNA values. Symbols are as in Fig. 1.
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