Circadian rhythms differ between selected mouse lines: A model to study the role of vasopressin neurons in the suprachiasmatic nuclei

1993 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 623-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abel Bult ◽  
Laurie Hiestand ◽  
Eddy A. Van Der Zee ◽  
Carol B. Lynch
2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (6) ◽  
pp. R2121-R2131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristiano Bertolucci ◽  
Valeria Anna Sovrano ◽  
Maria Chiara Magnone ◽  
Augusto Foà

To establish whether the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the Ruin lizard ( Podarcis sicula) play a role in entrainment of circadian rhythms to light, we examined the effects of exposure to 24-h light-dark (LD) cycles on the locomotor behavior of lizards with SCN lesions. Lizards became arrhythmic in response to complete SCN lesion under constant temperature and constant darkness (DD), and they remained arrhythmic after exposure to LD cycles. Remnants of SCN tissue in other lesioned lizards were sufficient to warrant entrainment to LD cycles. Hence, the SCN of Ruin lizards are essential both to maintain locomotor rhythmicity and to mediate entrainment of these rhythms to light. We also asked whether light causes expression of Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) in the SCN. Under LD cycles, the SCN express a daily rhythm in Fos-LI. Because Fos-LI is undetectable in DD, the rhythm seen in LD cycles is caused by light. We further showed that unilateral SCN lesions in DD induce dramatic period changes. Altogether, the present data support the existence of a strong functional similarity between the SCN of lizards and the SCN of mammals.


1998 ◽  
Vol 274 (4) ◽  
pp. R1004-R1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristiano Bertolucci ◽  
Augusto Foà

To establish whether the capability of daily melatonin injections to entrain circadian rhythms varies with season, we examined in constant conditions the locomotor behavior of lizards Podarcis sicula collected and subjected to daily melatonin injections at different times of the year. Although in summer locomotor rhythms of both pineal-intact and pinealectomized lizards became entrained to the 24-h injection period, in the other seasons their rhythms did not entrain to the injection period. To establish whether the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) mediate summer entrainment of locomotor rhythms to melatonin, we examined the behavioral effects of daily melatonin injections in lizards subjected to either bilateral (SCN-X) or unilateral (USCN-X) ablation of the SCN. SCN-X lizards became behaviorally arrhythmic, and daily melatonin injections did not restore rhythmicity. USCN-X lizards remained rhythmic, and their locomotor rhythms did entrain to the injections. Besides demonstrating for the first time in a vertebrate that daily melatonin injections are capable of entraining circadian rhythmicity in only one season (summer), the present results support the view that the SCN (and not the pineal gland) are the primary target sites of melatonin in the circadian system of P. sicula.


1980 ◽  
Vol 239 (6) ◽  
pp. E482-E489 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Szafarczyk ◽  
G. Alonso ◽  
G. Ixart ◽  
F. Malaval ◽  
J. Nouguier-Soule ◽  
...  

The circadian rhythms of plasma ACTH and corticosterone and of locomotor activity were explored in chronically cannulated female rats, after elimination of serotoninergic (5HT) innervation of the SCN (suprachiasmatic nuclei) either by stereotaxic lesion of the median and dorsal midbrain raphe nuclei (RX) or by local injection of SCN with the neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7DHT). Completeness of 5HT denervation was checked on serial sections of the hypothalamus either by the Falk-Hillarp technique or by radioautography. Neither lesion eliminated the intrahypothalamic 5HT system, which, however does not take part in the 5HT innervation of the SCN. In both experimental series, the circadian rhythms of the three parameters investigated were maintained in unchanged phase relationships compared to the sham-lesioned controls, and with respect to the photoperiod (12 light-12 dark). However, the estimated amplitudes of the ACTH rhythms dropped by 43% (RX) to 47% (5,7DHT) and their mean levels by 44% (RX) to 60% (5,7DHT), whereas the corticosterone rhythm displayed normal amplitude and its mean level rose by 24% (RX) or 38% (5,7DHT). In regard to locomotor activity rhythm, the most noticeable alteration was a 25–55% increase in the light-phase activity of both experimental groups with a correlative increase in the L/D activity ratio. The essential role of 5HT innervation of the SCN therefore seems to be to facilitate circadian control of the ACTH rhythm.


2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred Lewy ◽  
Joshua Tutek ◽  
Liska Havel ◽  
Macia Nikia

1998 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. S220
Author(s):  
Hitoki Ohtsuka ◽  
Yoshiaki Miyake ◽  
Ichiro Murai ◽  
Kazuo Satoh ◽  
Katsuhiko Sakamoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

Endocrinology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 151 (6) ◽  
pp. 2681-2688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sathya Velmurugan ◽  
Paula J. Brunton ◽  
Gareth Leng ◽  
John A. Russell

Secretin is a 27-amino acid brain-gut peptide from duodenal S-cells. We tested the effects of systemic administration of secretin to simulate its postprandial release on neuroendocrine neurons of the supraoptic nucleus (SON) in urethane-anesthetized female rats. Secretin dose-dependently increased the firing rate of oxytocin neurons, more potently than cholecystokinin, and dose-dependently increased plasma oxytocin concentration. The effect of secretin on SON vasopressin neurons was also predominantly excitatory, in contrast to the inhibitory actions of cholecystokinin. To explore the involvement of noradrenergic inputs in secretin-induced excitation, benoxathian, an α1-adrenoceptor antagonist, was infused intracerebroventricularly. Benoxathian intracerebroventricular infusion blocked the excitation by secretin of both oxytocin and vasopressin neurons. To test the role of local noradrenaline release in the SON, benoxathian was microdialyzed onto the SON. The basal firing rate of oxytocin neurons was slightly reduced and the secretin-induced excitation was attenuated during benoxathian microdialysis. Hence, noradrenergic pathways mediate the excitation by systemic secretin of oxytocin neurons via α1-adrenoceptors in the SON. As both systemic secretin and oxytocin are involved in regulating gastrointestinal functions and natriuresis, systemically released secretin might act partly through oxytocin.


2013 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 443-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gültekin Tamgüney ◽  
Kurt Giles ◽  
Abby Oehler ◽  
Natrina L. Johnson ◽  
Stephen J. DeArmond ◽  
...  

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer and elk is a highly communicable neurodegenerative disorder caused by prions. Investigations of CWD are hampered by slow bioassays in transgenic (Tg) mice. Towards the development of Tg mice that will be more susceptible to CWD prions, we created a series of chimeric elk/mouse transgenes that encode the N terminus of elk PrP (ElkPrP) up to residue Y168 and the C terminus of mouse PrP (MoPrP) beyond residue 169 (mouse numbering), designated Elk3M(SNIVVK). Between codons 169 and 219, six residues distinguish ElkPrP from MoPrP: N169S, T173N, V183I, I202V, I214V and R219K. Using chimeric elk/mouse PrP constructs, we generated 12 Tg mouse lines and determined incubation times after intracerebral inoculation with the mouse-passaged RML scrapie or Elk1P CWD prions. Unexpectedly, one Tg mouse line expressing Elk3M(SNIVVK) exhibited incubation times of <70 days when inoculated with RML prions; a second line had incubation times of <90 days. In contrast, mice expressing full-length ElkPrP had incubation periods of >250 days for RML prions. Tg(Elk3M,SNIVVK) mice were less susceptible to CWD prions than Tg(ElkPrP) mice. Changing three C-terminal mouse residues (202, 214 and 219) to those of elk doubled the incubation time for mouse RML prions and rendered the mice resistant to Elk1P CWD prions. Mutating an additional two residues from mouse to elk at codons 169 and 173 increased the incubation times for mouse prions to >300 days, but made the mice susceptible to CWD prions. Our findings highlight the role of C-terminal residues in PrP that control the susceptibility and replication of prions.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document