bims-ciryme 2024-09-22 papers

Issue of 2024‒09‒22
five papers selected by
Gabriela Da Silva Xavier, University of Birmingham

Sci Rep. 2024 09 16. 14(1): 21566

Photoperiod, food restriction and memory for objects and places in mice.

Sarah C Power, Mateusz J Michalik, Brianne A Kent, Ralph E Mistlberger.

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) contains a population of cell-autonomous circadian oscillators essential for entrainment to daily light-dark (LD) cycles. Synchrony among SCN oscillators is modified by photoperiod and determines functional properties of SCN clock cycling, including its amplitude, phase angle of entrainment, and free running periodicity (τ). For many species, encoding of daylength in SCN output is critical for seasonal regulation of metabolism and reproduction. C57BL/6 mice do not show seasonality in these functions, yet do show photoperiodic modulation of SCN clock output. The significance of this for brain systems and functions downstream from the SCN in these species is largely unexplored. C57BL/6 mice housed in a long-day photoperiod have been reported to perform better on tests of object, spatial and fear memory compared to mice in a standard 12 h photoperiod. We previously reported that encoding of photoperiod in SCN output, evident in τ in constant dark (DD), can be blocked by limiting food access to a 4 h mealtime in the light period. To determine whether this might also block the effect of long days on memory, mice entrained to 18 h:6 h (L18) or 6 h:18 h (L6) LD cycles were tested for 24 h object memory (novel object preference, NOP) and spatial working memory (Y-maze spontaneous alternation, SA), at 4 times of day, first with food available ad libitum and then during weeks 5-8 of daytime restricted feeding. Photoperiod modified τ as expected, but did not affect performance on the NOP and SA tests, either before or during restricted feeding. NOP performance did improve in the restricted feeding condition in both photoperiods, eliminating a weak time of day effect evident with food available ad-libitum. These results highlight benefits of restricted feeding on cognitive function, and suggest a dose-response relationship between photoperiod and memory, with no benefits at daylengths up to 18 h.

Keywords: Circadian rhythms; Object memory; Photoperiod; Restricted feeding; Spatial memory

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-72548-z

Eur J Neurosci. 2024 Sep 19.

PERfect Day: reversible and dose-dependent control of circadian time-keeping in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus by translational switching of PERIOD2 protein expression.

David McManus, Andrew P Patton, Nicola J Smyllie, Jason W Chin, Michael H Hastings.

The biological clock of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) orchestrates circadian (approximately daily) rhythms of behaviour and physiology that underpin health. SCN cell-autonomous time-keeping revolves around a transcriptional/translational feedback loop (TTFL) within which PERIOD (PER1,2) and CRYPTOCHROME (CRY1,2) proteins heterodimerise and suppress trans-activation of their encoding genes (Per1,2; Cry1,2). To explore its contribution to SCN time-keeping, we used adeno-associated virus-mediated translational switching to express PER2 (tsPER2) in organotypic SCN slices carrying bioluminescent TTFL circadian reporters. Translational switching requires provision of the non-canonical amino acid, alkyne lysine (AlkK), for protein expression. Correspondingly, AlkK, but not vehicle, induced constitutive expression of tsPER2 in SCN neurons and reversibly and dose-dependently suppressed pPer1-driven transcription in PER-deficient (Per1,2-null) SCN, illustrating the potency of PER2 in negative regulation within the TTFL. Constitutive expression of tsPER2, however, failed to initiate circadian oscillations in arrhythmic PER-deficient SCN. In rhythmic, PER-competent SCN, AlkK dose-dependently reduced the amplitude of PER2-reported oscillations as inhibition by tsPER2 progressively damped the TTFL. tsPER2 also dose-dependently lengthened the period of the SCN TTFL and neuronal calcium rhythms. Following wash-out of AlkK to remove tsPER2, the SCN regained TTFL amplitude and period. Furthermore, SCN retained their pre-washout phase: the removal of tsPER2 did not phase-shift the TTFL. Given that constitutive tsCRY1 can regulate TTFL amplitude and period, but also reset TTFL phase and initiate rhythms in CRY-deficient SCN, these results reveal overlapping and distinct properties of PER2 and CRY1 within the SCN, and emphasise the utility of translational switching to explore the functions of circadian proteins.

Keywords: Cryptochrome; biological clock; period protein; synthetic biology; transcriptional inhibition

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.16537

BMC Biol. 2024 Sep 16. 22(1): 208

Light sampling behaviour regulates circadian entrainment in mice.

Laura C E Steel, Shu K E Tam, Laurence A Brown, Russell G Foster, Stuart N Peirson.

BACKGROUND: The natural light environment is far more complex than that experienced by animals under laboratory conditions. As a burrowing species, wild mice are able to self-modulate their light exposure, a concept known as light environment sampling behaviour. By contrast, under laboratory conditions mice have little opportunity to exhibit this behaviour. To address this issue, here we introduce a simple nestbox paradigm to allow mice to self-modulate their light environment. Dark nestboxes fitted with passive infrared sensors were used to monitor locomotor activity, circadian entrainment, decision making and light environment sampling behaviour.RESULTS: Under these conditions, mice significantly reduce their light exposure to an average of just 0.8 h across a 24 h period. In addition, mice show a distinct pattern of light environment sampling behaviour, with peaks at dawn and dusk under a ramped light dark cycle. Furthermore, we show that the timing of light environment sampling behaviour depends upon endogenous circadian rhythms and is abolished in mice lacking a circadian clock, indicating a feedback loop between light, the circadian clock and behaviour.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the important role of behaviour in modifying the light signals available for circadian entrainment under natural conditions.

Keywords: Behaviour; Circadian ecology; Circadian rhythm; Cryptochrome; Light sampling; Nestbox; Photoentrainment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-024-01995-x

J Physiol. 2024 Sep 15.

Hypothyroidism alters the rhythmicity of the central clock, body temperature and metabolism: evidence of Bmal1 transcriptional regulation by T3.

Felipe Emrich, Bruno Henrique Gomes, Letícia Selvatici-Tolentino, Roberta Araújo Lopes, Ayla Secio-Silva, João Pedro Carvalho-Moreira, Paloma Graziele Bittencourt-Silva, Leonardo de Oliveira Guarnieri, Ana Bárbara de Paula Silva, Lucas Rios Drummond, Glauber Santos Ferreira da Silva, Raphael Escorsim Szawka, Márcio Flávio Dutra Moraes, Cândido Celso Coimbra, Rodrigo Antonio Peliciari-Garcia, Paula Bargi-Souza.

In mammals, the central circadian oscillator is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis components exhibit circadian oscillation, regulated by both central clock innervation and intrinsic circadian clocks in the anterior pituitary and thyroid glands. Thyroid disorders alter the rhythmicity of peripheral clocks in a tissue-dependent response; however, whether these effects are influenced by alterations in the master clock remains unknown. This study aimed to characterize the effects of hypothyroidism on the rhythmicity of SCN, body temperature (BT) and metabolism, and the possible mechanisms involved in this signalling. C57BL/6J adult male mice were divided into Control and Hypothyroid groups. Profiles of spontaneous locomotor activity (SLA), BT, oxygen consumption ( V̇O2${{\dot{V}}_{{{{\mathrm{O}}}_{\mathrm{2}}}}}$ ) and respiratory quotient (RQ) were determined under free-running conditions. Clock gene expression, and neuronal activity of the SCN and medial preoptic nucleus (MPOM) area were investigated in light-dark (LD) conditions. Triiodothyronine (T3) transcriptional regulation of Bmal1 promoter activity was evaluated in GH3-transfected cells. Hypothyroidism delayed the rhythmicity of SLA and BT, and altered the expression of core clock components in the SCN. The activity of SCN neurons and their outputs were also affected, as evidenced by the loss of circadian rhythmicity in V̇O2${{\dot{V}}_{{{{\mathrm{O}}}_{\mathrm{2}}}}}$ and RQ and alterations in the neuronal activity pattern of MPOM. In GH3 cells, T3 increased Bmal1 promoter activity in a time-dependent manner. Thyroid hormone may act as a temporal cue for the central circadian clock, and the uncoupling of central and peripheral clocks might contribute to a wide range of metabolic and thermoregulatory impairments observed in hypothyroidism. KEY POINTS: Hypothyroidism alters clock gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Thyroid hypofunction alters the phase of spontaneous locomotor activity and body temperature rhythms. Thyroid hormone deficiency alters the daily pattern of SCN and medial preoptic nucleus neuronal activities. Hypothyroidism alterations are extended to daily oscillations of oxygen consumption and metabolism, which might contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome. Triiodothyronine increases Bmal1 promoter activity acting as temporal cue for the central circadian clock.

Keywords: clock genes; hypothyroidism; locomotor activity; metabolism; suprachiasmatic nucleus; thermoregulation; thyroid hormones

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1113/JP286449

BMC Public Health. 2024 Sep 19. 24(1): 2555

Personalized sleep and nutritional strategies to combat adverse effects of night shift work: a controlled intervention protocol.

Maaike van der Rhee, Johanneke E Oosterman, Suzan Wopereis, Gijsbertus T J van der Horst, Inês Chaves, Martijn E T Dollé, Alex Burdorf, Linda W M van Kerkhof, Heidi M Lammers-Van der Holst.

BACKGROUND: Working during the night interferes with the timing of normal daily activities and is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases. Under controlled experimental conditions, interventions focusing on sleep and nutrition can mitigate the short-term adverse effects of shift work. However, it is unclear how these results translate to real-life, how they can be targeted to individual conditions, and how they relate to long-term health. Therefore, the current study aims to implement a personalized sleep and nutritional intervention among night shift workers in the field.METHODS: A non-blinded controlled intervention study is used, consisting of a run-in period, an intervention of 3 months, post-intervention measurements, and a follow-up after 12 months. Three study arms are included: sleep intervention, nutritional intervention, and control group (n = 25 each). Participants are healthy 18-60-year male night shift workers, with at least one year of experience in night shift work. Information from the run-in period will be used to personalize the interventions. The main outcomes are sleep measurements and continuous interstitial glucose levels. Furthermore, general health biomarkers and parameters will be determined to further evaluate effects on long-term health.
DISCUSSION: This study aims to mitigate negative health consequences associated with night shift work by introducing two personalized preventive interventions. If proven effective, the personalized interventions may serve as practical solutions that can have a meaningful impact on the sustainable health and employability of night shift workers. This study will thereby contribute to the current need for high-quality data on preventative strategies for night shift work in a real-life context.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial has been registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT06147089. Registered 27 November 2023.

Keywords: Circadian disruption; Glucose homeostasis; Metabolic health; Night shift; Occupational health; Precision nutrition; Real-life intervention; Shift work; Sleep

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20022-w