Correlation of glucocorticoid-mediated E4BP4 upregulation with altered expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes in CEM human lymphoblastic leukemia cells

In Caenorhabditiselegans, motorneuron apoptosis is regulated via a ces-2–ces-1–egl-1 pathway. We tested whether human CEM lymphoblastic leukemia cells undergo apoptosis via an analogous pathway. We have previously shown that E4BP4, a ces-2 ortholog, mediates glucocorticoid (GC)-dependent upregulation of BIM, an egl-1 ortholog, in GC-sensitive CEM C7-14 cells and in CEM C1-15mE#3 cells, which are sensitized to GCs by ectopic expression of E4BP4. In the present study, we demonstrate that the human ces-1 orthologs, SLUG and SNAIL, are not significantly repressed in correlation with E4BP4 expression. Expression of E4BP4 homologs, the PAR family genes, especially HLF, encoding a known anti-apoptotic factor, was inverse to that of E4BP4 and BIM. Expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes in CEM cells was analyzed via an apoptosis PCR Array. We identified BIRC3 and BIM as genes whose expression paralleled that of E4BP4, while FASLG, TRAF4, BCL2A1, BCL2L1, BCL2L2 and CD40LG as genes whose expression was opposite to that of E4BP4.     

Indirect Effects of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Exendin-4 on the Peripheral Circadian Clocks in Mice

Circadian clocks in peripheral tissues are powerfully entrained by feeding. The mechanisms underlying this food entrainment remain unclear, although various humoral and neural factors have been reported to affect peripheral clocks. Because glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is rapidly secreted in response to food ingestion, influences multiple humoral and neural signaling pathways, we suggest that GLP-1 plays a role in the food entrainment of peripheral clocks. To test this, we compared the effects of exendin-4, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, on mRNA expression of the clock genes (Clock, Bmal1, Nr1d1, Per1, Per2, and Cry1) with those of refeeding. In addition, we investigated whether exendin-4 could affect the rhythms of the peripheral clocks. In male C57BL/6J mice, although refeeding rapidly (within 2 h) altered mRNA levels of Per1 and Per2 in the liver and that of Per1 in adipose tissue, a single i.p. injection of exendin-4 did not cause such changes. However, unlike the GLP-1 receptor antagonist exendin-(9–39), exendin-4 significantly influenced Per1 mRNA levels in the liver at 12 h after injection. Moreover, pretreatment with exendin-4 affected the rapid-feeding-induced change in Per1 not only in the liver, but also in adipose tissue, without effect on food intake. Furthermore, during light-phase restricted feeding, repeated dosing of exendin-4 at the beginning of the dark phase profoundly influenced both the food intake and daily rhythms of clock gene expression in peripheral tissues. Thus, these results suggest that exendin-4 modulates peripheral clocks via multiple mechanisms different from those of refeeding.     

Peripheral circadian clocks are diversely affected by adrenalectomy

Glucocorticoids are considered to synchronize the rhythmicity of clock genes in peripheral tissues; however, the role of circadian variations of endogenous glucocorticoids is not well defined. In the present study, we examined whether peripheral circadian clocks were impaired by adrenalectomy. To achieve this, we tested the circadian rhythmicity of core clock genes (Bmal1, Per1-3, Cry1, RevErbα, Rora), clock-output genes (Dbp, E4bp4) and a glucocorticoid- and clock-controlled gene (Gilz) in liver, jejunum, kidney cortex, splenocytes and visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Adrenalectomy did not affect the phase of clock gene rhythms but distinctly modulated clock gene mRNA levels, and this effect was partially tissue-dependent. Adrenalectomy had a significant inhibitory effect on the level of Per1 mRNA in VAT, liver and jejunum, but not in kidney and splenocytes. Similarly, adrenalectomy down-regulated mRNA levels of Per2 in splenocytes and VAT, Per3 in jejunum, RevErbα in VAT and Dbp in VAT, kidney and splenocytes, whereas the mRNA amounts of Per1 and Per2 in kidney and Per3 in VAT and splenocytes were up-regulated. On the other hand, adrenalectomy had minimal effects on Rora and E4bp4 mRNAs. Adrenalectomy also resulted in decreased level of Gilz mRNA but did not alter the phase of its diurnal rhythm. Collectively, these findings suggest that adrenalectomy alters the mRNA levels of core clock genes and clock-output genes in peripheral organs and may cause tissue-specific modulations of their circadian profiles, which are reflected in changes of the amplitudes but not phases. Thus, the circulating corticosteroids are necessary for maintaining the high-amplitude rhythmicity of the peripheral clocks in a tissue-specific manner.     

Expression of the circadian clock gene Period2 in the hippocampus: possible implications for synaptic plasticity and learned behaviour

Genes responsible for generating circadian oscillations are expressed in a variety of brain regions not typically associated with circadian timing. The functions of this clock gene expression are largely unknown, and in the present study we sought to explore the role of the Per2 (Period 2) gene in hippocampal physiology and learned behaviour. We found that PER2 protein is highly expressed in hippocampal pyramidal cell layers and that the expression of both protein and mRNA varies with a circadian rhythm. The peaks of these rhythms occur in the late night or early morning and are almost 180° out-of-phase with the expression rhythms measured from the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the same animals. The rhythms in Per2 expression are autonomous as they are present in isolated hippocampal slices maintained in culture. Physiologically, Per2-mutant mice exhibit abnormal long-term potentiation. The underlying mechanism is suggested by the finding that levels of phosphorylated cAMP-response-element-binding protein, but not phosphorylated extracellular-signal-regulated kinase, are reduced in hippocampal tissue from mutant mice. Finally, Per2-mutant mice exhibit deficits in the recall of trace, but not cued, fear conditioning. Taken together, these results provide evidence that hippocampal cells contain an autonomous circadian clock. Furthermore, the clock gene Per2 may play a role in the regulation of long-term potentiation and in the recall of some forms of learned behaviour.     

Up-regulation of circadian clock gene Period 2 in the prostate mesenchymal cells during flutamide-induced apoptosis

Androgen regulates the proper development and physiological function of the prostate. Here, we investigated the modulation of androgen and androgen receptor (AR) antagonist on circadian oscillations of a clock core gene Period 2 (Per2) in rat prostate mesenchymal cells (PMCs). Circadian oscillations were analyzed with the real-time monitoring system of gene expression using transgenic rats introduced with mouse Per2 promoter fused to a destabilized luciferase (Per2-dLuc) reporter gene. Analyses of circadian oscillations, immunofluorescence, and androgen response element (ARE)-luciferase reporter assay revealed that circadian clocks are operative and the AR protein is functional in PMCs in vitro. Androgen such as testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) did not cause any changes in circadian Per2-dLuc oscillations of confluent cells. Conversely, flutamide (FL) up-regulated the amplitude of circadian Per2-dLuc oscillations in a dose-dependent manner, whereas T antagonized the action of FL. The PER2 protein was markedly accumulated by FL treatment and localized in both the nucleus and cytoplasm during the first peak period of circadian Per2-dLuc oscillations. Simultaneously, FL treatment increased apoptotic cell death. Collectively, the present study demonstrates that a clock gene Per2 is up-regulated in PMCs during FL-induced apoptotic cell death. Thus, circadian oscillations of Per2 gene expression may be closely linked to the cellular states of PMCs such as apoptotic cell death.     

Cellular DBP and E4BP4 proteins are critical for determining the period length of the circadian oscillator

The phenotypes of mice carrying clock gene mutations have been critical to understanding the mammalian clock function. However, behavior does not necessarily reflect cell-autonomous clock phenotypes, because of the hierarchical dominance of the central clock. We performed cell-based siRNA knockdown and cDNA overexpression and monitored rhythm using bioluminescent reporters of clock genes. We found that knockdown of DBP, D-box positive regulator, in our model led to a short-period phenotype, whereas overexpressing of DBP produced a long-period rhythm when compared to controls. Furthermore, knockdown and overexpressing of E4BP4, D-box negative regulator, led to an opposite effect of DBP. Our experiments demonstrated that D-box regulators play a crucial role in determining the period length of Per1 and Per2 promoter-driven circadian rhythms in Rat-1 fibroblasts.