title: Regulation of period 1 expression in cultured rat pineal.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro expression of Period 1 (Per1), Period 2 (Per2) and arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) genes in the rat pineal gland to understand the mechanism(s) regulating the expression of these genes in this organ. Pineals, when maintained in vitro for 5 days, did not show circadian rhythmicity in the expression of any of the three genes monitored. Norepinephrine (NE) induced AA-NAT and Per1, whereas its effect on Per2 was negligible. Contrary to what was observed in other systems, NE stimulation did not induce circadian expression of Per1. The effect of NE on Per1 level was dose- and receptor subtype-dependent, and both cAMP and cGMP induced Per1. Per1 was not induced by repeated NE - or forskolin - stimulation. Protein synthesis was not necessary for NE-induced Per1, but it was for reduction of Per1 following NE stimulation. Per1 transcription in pinealocytes was activated by BMAL1/CLOCK. Our results indicate that important differences are present in the regulation of these genes in the mammalian pineal.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310-1495, USA.
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dirden
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tosini
mesh_terms: D056930:ARNTL Transcription Factors; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D056926:CLOCK Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D056930:ARNTL Transcription Factors; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D056926:CLOCK Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D005576:Colforsin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D009638:Norepinephrine; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013566:Sympathomimetics; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C538960:BMAL1 protein, human; C538961:Bmal1 protein, mouse; C539022:PER1 protein, human; C421902:PER2 protein, human; C539023:Per1 protein, mouse; C539024:Per1 protein, rat; C513312:Per2 protein, mouse; C513311:Per2 protein, rat; C538943:CLOCK protein, human; C538944:Clock protein, mouse; C538945:Clock protein, rat