title: Effects of age on clock gene expression in the rhesus macaque pituitary gland.
abstract: Recent studies have shown that circadian clock genes are expressed in various peripheral tissues, raising the possibility that multiple clocks regulate circadian physiology. To study clock gene expression in the rhesus macaque pituitary gland we used gene microarray data and found that the pituitary glands of young and old adult males express several components of the circadian clock (Per1, Per2, Cry1, Bmal1, Clock, Rev-erbalpha and Csnk1varepsilon). Semi-quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (sqRT-PCR) confirmed the presence of these core-clock genes and detected significant age-related differences in the expression of Per2. sqRT-PCR also showed differential expression of core-clock genes at two opposing time-points over the 24-h day, with greater expression of Per2 and Bmal1 (P<0.05) at 1300h as compared to 0100h. Immunohistochemistry revealed rhythmic expression of REV-ERBalpha in the pituitary glands of female macaques. These data provide evidence that the rhesus macaque pituitary gland expresses core-clock genes and their associated protein products in a 24-h rhythmic pattern, and that their expression is moderately impacted by aging processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA.
authors.forename: Brandon D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Sitzmann
authors.forename: Dario R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ottinger
authors.forename: Henryk F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Urbanski
mesh_terms: D056930:ARNTL Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000235:genetics*; D056926:CLOCK Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics*; D056931:Cryptochromes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D056953:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group D, Member 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D056930:ARNTL Transcription Factors; C538960:BMAL1 protein, human; C538963:CRY1 protein, human; D056931:Cryptochromes; C064353:NR1D1 protein, human; D056953:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group D, Member 1; C539022:PER1 protein, human; C421902:PER2 protein, human; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D056926:CLOCK Proteins; C538943:CLOCK protein, human