Behavioral Rhythmicity of Mice Lacking AhR and Attenuation of Light-Induced Phase Shift by 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin

May 20, 2008Journal of biological rhythms

Daily activity patterns in mice without AhR and reduced light-driven timing shifts caused by dioxin

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Circadian expression of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and its signaling target, cytochrome p4501A1 (Cyp1a1), was observed in both the suprachiasmatic nucleus and liver of C57BL/6J mice.

AhR is a member of the PAS domain family, which is involved in circadian rhythm regulation.
Intact AhR knockout (AhRKO) mice exhibited robust circadian rhythmicity, similar to wild-type mice, under constant conditions.
A significant difference in circadian timing (tau) was observed between genotypes in ovariectomized female mice.
Exposure to the AhR agonist TCDD (1 microg/kg of body weight) resulted in decreased phase shifts in response to light.
Altered expression of the clock genes Per1 and Bmal1 was noted in mice treated with TCDD.
Chronic activation of AhR may impact the circadian system's ability to adapt to changes in environmental lighting.

AI simplified

Transcription factors belonging to the Per/Arnt/Sim (PAS) domain family are highly conserved and many are involved in circadian rhythm regulation. One member of this family, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), is an orphan receptor whose physiological role is unknown. Recent findings have led to the hypothesis that AhR has a role in circadian rhythm, which is the focus of the present investigation. First, time-of-day-dependent mRNA expression of AhR and its signaling target, cytochrome p4501A1 (Cyp1a1), was determined in C57BL/6J mice by quantitative RT-PCR. Circadian expression of AhR and Cyp1a1 was observed both in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and liver. Next, the circadian phenotype of mice lacking AhR (AhRKO) was investigated using behavioral monitoring. Intact AhRKO mice had robust circadian rhythmicity with a similar tau under constant conditions compared to wild-type mice, but a significant difference in tau was observed between genotypes in ovariectomized female mice. Time to reentrainment following 6-h advances or delays of the light/dark cycle was not significantly different between genotypes. However, mice exposed to the AhR agonist 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; 1 microg/kg of body weight) displayed decreased phase shifts in response to light and had altered expression of Per1 and Bmal1. These results suggest that chronic activation of AhR may affect the ability of the circadian timekeeping system to adjust to alterations in environmental lighting by affecting canonical clock genes. Further studies are necessary to decipher the mechanism of how AhR agonists could disrupt light-induced phase shifts. If AhR does have a role in circadian rhythm, it may share redundant roles with other PAS domain proteins and/or the role of AhR may not be exhibited in the behavioral activity rhythm, but could be important elsewhere in the peripheral circadian system.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text (PDF) ↗View full text ↗

Behavioral Rhythmicity of Mice Lacking AhR and Attenuation of Light-Induced Phase Shift by 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief