The role of a REV-ERBα-controlled calcium channel in resetting the body’s internal clock late at night

Mice deficient in the Cav1.2 channel showed a significant reduction in their ability to phase-advance circadian behavior after exposure to light in the late night.

• L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are involved in regulating the internal circadian clock and its response to light.
• Cav1.2 mRNA expression exhibits a rhythmic pattern, peaking during the late night, and is regulated by the circadian clock component REV-ERBα.
• The absence of Cav1.2 affects the induction of clock genes, with notable reductions in Per2 and Per1 during early and late night, respectively.
• These findings suggest that Cav1.2 plays a crucial role in both clock gene expression and the adjustment of circadian rhythms in response to environmental light.

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