The pineal gland is not essential for circadian expression of rat period homologue (rper2) mRNA in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and peripheral tissues.
To investigate the functional involvement of the pineal gland in circadian expression of the rat period homolog gene (rPer2) in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and peripheral tissues, we performed Northern blot analysis in tissues from pinealectomized rats. The ectomy did not have any significant effects on rPer2 mRNA expression patterns both in a daily light-dark condition and in a constant darkness. These results suggest that the rhythmic secretion of pineal melatonin is not essential for the circadian expression of clock genes in the SCN and other peripheral tissues of rats.
Oishi
K
K
Ishida Group of Clock Gene, National Institute of Bioscience and Human Technology, Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, MITI, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan.
Murai
I
I
Sakamoto
K
K
Otsuka
H
H
Miyake
Y
Y
Nagase
T
T
Ishida
N
N
D000818:Animals; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C513311:Per2 protein, rat; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008550:Melatonin