Timed eating resets the liver’s internal clock without involvement of the brain’s main timekeeper

Peaks of liver clock gene expression were advanced by 6-12 hours following 6 days of restricted feeding in mice.

• Restricted feeding advanced the expression of mPer1, mPer2, Dbp, and Cyp7A mRNA in the liver.
• The expression peaks in the suprachiasmatic nucleus remained unchanged by restricted feeding.
• The advance in liver clock gene expression due to restricted feeding occurred even in mice with SCN lesions.
• A 7-hour shift in the light-dark cycle also advanced clock gene expression in both the liver and SCN.
• However, changing the light-dark cycle did not affect liver clock gene expression when combined with a fixed feeding schedule at night.

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