Adrenergic signals direct rhythmic expression of transcriptional repressor CREM in the pineal gland.
Transcription factor CREM appears to play a key physiological and developmental role within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This axis is modulated by the pineal hormone melatonin, whose production is in turn driven by the endogenous clock. There is striking circadian fluctuation of a novel CREM isoform, ICER, which is expressed at high levels during the night. ICER is generated from an alternative, intronic promoter and functions as a powerful repressor of cyclic AMP-induced transcription. Rhythmic adrenergic signals originated by the clock direct ICER expression by stimulation of the cAMP signal transduction pathway.
Stehle
J H
JH
CNRS URA 1332, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France.
Foulkes
N S
NS
Molina
C A
CA
Simonneaux
V
V
Pévet
P
P
Sassone-Corsi
P
P
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator; D004247:DNA; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007438:Introns; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator; D004247:DNA; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D008550:Melatonin; D009638:Norepinephrine