title: Clock gene expression in mouse kidney and testis: analysis of periodical and dynamical patterns.
abstract: Molecular clocks drive circadian rhythmicity of cellular functions in peripheral tissues and organs, kidney included, whereas in the testis this clockwork seems constitutively active. We have evaluated the periodicity and the dynamics of expression of the clock genes BMAL1, CLOCK, PER1, PER2, CRY1, CRY2 and REV ERBalpha over 24 h in the kidney and testis using a mouse model. The periodicity was explored by single cosinor, and dynamics were explored by calculation of fractional variations of gene expression related to time intervals. Kidney and testis were harvested at 4-h intervals over a 24-h period from eight-week-old C57BL/6 male mice housed individually on a 12 h light (L)-dark (D) cycle (lights on at 08:00 h; lights off at 20:00 h) and mRNA was extracted and analyzed by Quantitative Real-time Reverse Transcription PCR. A statistically significant difference was evidenced between kidney and testis for the original values of expression level of BMAL1, PER1, PER2 CRY1, CRY2 and REV ERB&#945;. A statistically significant difference was evidenced between kidney and testis for the fractional variation of BMAL1, PER2, CRY1, CRY2 and REV ERB&#945;. A significant 24-h rhythmic component was found for BMAL1, CLOCK, PER1, PER2, CRY1, CRY2 and REV ERB&#945; in the kidney, whereas no core clock gene showed circadian rhythmicity in the testis. Fractional variations provided significant circadian rhythms for BMAL1, PER2, CRY, CRY2 and REV ERB&#945; in the kidney, whereas in the testis the fractional variation calculations showed no circadian rhythmicity, but quantitative comparison showed statistically significant differences in only 16.7 percent of the time points studied. In conclusion, in the kidney the clock gene machinery shows circadian oscillation of mRNA levels and time-related variations in the rate of change of clock gene expression. In the testis the clock genes do not show circadian rhythmicity of expression and the dynamics of variation are not characterized by a periodical pattern, but are quantitatively similar to those observed in the kidney. These data suggest that in the testis the clock gene machinery shows a tissue-specific pattern of function and clock genes may play a different role in the testis with regard to other peripheral tissues, maybe in relation to the presence of developmental and differentiation phenomena.
authors: Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS Scientific Institute and Regional General Hospital, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. g.mazzoccoli@tin.it
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Mazzoccoli
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Francavilla
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Giuliani
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Aucella
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Vinciguerra
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Pazienza
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Piepoli
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Benegiamo
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Liu
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Cai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056926:CLOCK Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009928:Organ Specificity; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D056926:CLOCK Proteins; C538944:Clock protein, mouse