Differential Effects of a Restricted Feeding Schedule on Clock-Gene Expression in the Hypothalamus of the Rat

Restricting food access to a specific 2-hour window shifted Per1 expression by 3 hours in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of Wistar rats.

• Clock genes Per1 and Per2, as well as Bmal1, exhibited distinct patterns of expression in various hypothalamic regions in response to restricted feeding schedules.
• Per1 was activated in the arcuate and dorsomedial nuclei in anticipation of food access, while no changes were observed in the ventromedial and paraventricular nuclei.
• Per2 expression peaked after feeding in the paraventricular nucleus but was down-regulated in the dorsomedial and ventromedial nuclei.
• Bmal1 expression remained stable and was not significantly altered by restricted feeding schedules.
• The findings indicate that metabolic cues from feeding can differentially impact clock-gene expression in the hypothalamus.

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