Dissociation Between Light-Induced Phase Shift of the Circadian
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The Journal of Neuroscience, July 1, 2001, 21(13):4883–4890 Dissociation between Light-Induced Phase Shift of the Circadian Rhythm and Clock Gene Expression in Mice Lacking the Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Polypeptide Type 1 Receptor Jens Hannibal,1 Francoise Jamen,2 Harriette S. Nielsen,1 Laurant Journot,2 Philippe Brabet,2 and Jan Fahrenkrug1 1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark, and 2Unite´ Propre de Recherche 9023, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 34094 Montpellier Cedex 5, France The circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (PAC1 Ϫ /Ϫ) compared with wild-type mice accompanied by a (SCN) organizes autonomic and behavioral rhythms into a near marked reduction in light-induced mPer1, mPer2, and c-fos 24 hr time that is adjusted daily to the solar cycle via a direct gene expression. Light stimulation at late night induced mPer1 projection from the retina, the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT). and c-fos gene expression in the SCN to the same levels in both This neuronal pathway costores the neurotransmitters PACAP wild type and PAC1 Ϫ /Ϫ mice. However, in contrast to the phase and glutamate, which seem to be important for light-induced advance seen in wild-type mice, PAC1 Ϫ /Ϫ mice responded resetting of the clock. At the molecular level the clock genes with phase delays after photic stimulation. These data indicate mPer1 and mPer2 are believed to be target for the light signal- that PAC1 receptor signaling participates in the gating control ing to the clock. In this study, we investigated the possible role of photic sensitivity of the clock and suggest that mPer1, of PACAP-type 1 receptor signaling in light-induced resetting of mPer2, and c-fos are of less importance for light-induced the behavioral rhythm and light-induced clock gene expression phase shifts at night. in the SCN. Light stimulation at early night resulted in larger Key words: retinohypothalamic tract; suprachiasmatic nu- phase delays in PACAP-type 1 receptor-deficient mice cleus; clock genes; knock-out; mouse; light entrainment In mammals, autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral rhythms are support for this notion is the observation that the use of antisense generated by a master clock located in the hypothalamic supra- oligonucleotide blocks mPer1 mRNA transcription, light-induced chiasmatic nuclei (SCN) (Klein et al., 1991). To maintain syn- phase shift of running wheel activity, and glutamate-induced chrony with the solar day–night cycle, the clock is adjusted phase shift of neuronal firing activity (Akiyama et al., 1999). (entrained) by light through a monosynaptic pathway originating Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP), a from a subset of retinal ganglion cells, the retinohypothalamic member of the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)–secretin- tract (RHT) (Moore and Lenn, 1972; Johnson et al., 1988; Levine glucagon family of neuropeptides (Arimura, 1998), is located in a et al., 1991; Moore et al., 1995). Our knowledge on the molecular small population of retinal ganglion cells constituting the RHT machinery driving the endogenous clock has until recently been (Hannibal et al., 2001). PACAP is colocalized with glutamate in limited, but identification of components of the “molecular clock” the RHT (Hannibal et al., 2001). In nanomolar concentrations, PACAP phase shifts the endogenous rhythm and induces per gene participating in autonomous transcriptional/translational feed- expression in the SCN similar to light (Harrington et al., 1999; back loops have shed light on parts of this complex regulatory Nielsen et al., 2001) whereas micromolar concentrations of mechanism (for review, see Dunlap, 1999; King and Takahashi, PACAP modulate glutamate-induced phase shift (Chen et al., 2000). How light entrains the clock is, however, not fully under- 1999) and Per1 and Per2 gene expression (Nielsen et al., 2001). stood. The clock genes mPer1 and mPer2, which show circadian Three types of high-affinity G-protein-coupled receptors for expression within the SCN, have been attributed a role in light- PACAP have been cloned: the PACAP preferring type 1 (PAC1) induced resetting of the mammalian circadian clock caused by receptor (Spengler et al, 1993) and two VIP/PACAP preferring rapid induction of both genes after light stimulation at night type 2 (VPAC1 and VPAC2) receptors (Harmar et al., 1998). (Albrecht et al., 1997; Shigeyoshi et al., 1997; Zylka et al., 1998; Both PAC1 (Hannibal et al., 1997) and VPAC2 (Lutz et al., 1993) Akiyama et al., 1999; Yan et al., 1999; Field et al., 2000). A receptors are expressed in the SCN but so far, most findings indicate that the PAC1 receptor is responsible for PACAP sig- naling to the circadian system (Hannibal et al., 1997; von Gall et al., 1998; Kopp et al., 1999). Received Dec. 27, 2000; revised March 26, 2001; accepted April 12, 2001. The present study shows that in mice lacking the PAC1 recep- This work was supported by The European Commission (BIO-98–0517), The tor, light stimulation causes a dissociation between photic phase Danish Biotechnology Centre for Cellular Communication, The Danish Neuro- science Program, and Danish Medical Research Council Grant 9702202. The skillful shifting of the circadian rhythm and induction of clock gene technical assistance of Lea Larsen and Anita Hansen is gratefully acknowledged. expression in the SCN. Our findings indicate that PAC1 receptor Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Jens Hannibal, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, DK-2400 Copen- signaling participates in the gating control of photic sensitivity of hagen NV, Denmark. E-mail: [email protected]. the clock and suggest that mPer1, mPer2, and c-fos are of less Copyright © 2001 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/01/214883-08$15.00/0 importance for light-induced phase shifts at night. 4884 J. Neurosci., July 1, 2001, 21(13):4883–4890 Hannibal et al. • Photic Response in PAC1 Receptor-Deficient Mice MATERIALS AND METHODS Animals. Males from an F1-F4-crossbred strain (129/SvXC57BL6/J) of PAC1-receptor mutant mice were used (Jamen et al., 2000). Animals were maintained in a 12 hr light/dark (LD) cycle with food and water ad libitum. Experiments were performed according to the principles of laboratory animal care (Law on animal experiments in Denmark, publi- cation number 382, June 10th, 1987). Behavioral analysis. Mice (age 6–10 weeks at the beginning of the experiments) were housed in individual cages equipped with a running wheel in ventilated, light-tight chambers with controlled lightning. Wheel-running activity was monitored by an on-line personal computer connected via a magnetic switch to the Minimitter Running Wheel activity system (consisting of QA-4 activity input modules, DP-24 data- ports, and Vital View data acquisition system, version 2.19; MiniMitter Company, Sunriver, OR). Wheel revolutions were collected continuously in 10 min bins. Animals were entrained to a 12 hr LD cycle (lights on at 7:00 A.M., lights off at 7.00 P.M.) for at least 14 d. Free-running period () was assessed during days 4–18 in constant darkness (DD) using Active View software version 1.2 (MiniMitter Company). To determine the light-induced phase shift of locomotor activity, animals in their home cages were moved to another room and exposed to a 30 min pulse of white light (Ͼ300 lux) at two different circadian times (CTs) 16 and 23; n ϭ 7–10 of each genotype) at which CT12 was designated as activity Figure 1. PACAP and PAC1 receptors in the SCN. Photomicrographs showing PACAP-immunoreactive nerve fiber in the SCN of wild-type (a) onset. The CT times were determined according to the equation by Daan Ϫ Ϫ Ϫ Ϫ / and Pittendrigh (1976a). Three wild-type and three PAC1 / mice were and PAC1 receptor-deficient mice (PAC1 )(b). In situ hybridization using a 33P-labeled rat cRNA PAC1 receptor probe on a coronal brain also exposed to light at CT2, 6, 10, 14, and 20 to obtain a full phase– Ϫ /Ϫ response curve (PRC). Light-induced phase shift amplitude was derived section at the level of the SCN of wild-type (c) and PAC1 mice (d). Arrows indicate the positive (c) and negative (d) signal for PAC1 receptor from regression lines drawn through the activity onset of at least 7 d immediately before the day of stimulation and7dafter reestablishment expression in the SCN. 3v, Third ventricle. Scale bars, 100 m. of steady-state circadian period after stimulation (Chen et al., 1999). In situ hybridization histochemistry. In situ hybridization was performed was visualized using a specific monoclonal mouse anti-PACAP antibody as previously described (Hannibal et al., 1997). cRNA probes were characterized previously (Hannibal et al., 1995b) and a mouse on mouse 33 prepared using P-UTP and cDNA of the rat PAC1 receptor (Hannibal immunodectection kit (Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA) combined et al., 1997), rPer1, and rPer2 probes (Nielsen et al., 2001). The mouse with ABC-tyramide-DAB staining (Fahrenkrug and Hannibal, 1998). As c-fos cDNA (pTRI-c-fos/exon4-Mouse probe template) obtained from controls, sections were incubated with antibodies preabsorbed with Ambion (Austin, TX) was prepared using T3 polymerase generating a PACAP38 (20 g/l), which abolished all staining. cRNA probe of 279 bases. Control sections were hybridized with the Statistical analysis. Data are presented as mean Ϯ SEM. Mann–Whit- corresponding sense probes, which gave no specific signals. Wild-type ney U test (using GrapPad Prism, version 3.0 software) was used to Ϫ /Ϫ ϭ and PAC1 mice (n 6–8 in each group) kept in 12 hr LD were determine significant differences between values from stimulated and decapitated at zeitgeber time (ZT)6, ZT17, and ZT24 (in dim red light, control groups. p Ͻ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.