title: Pinealectomy abolishes circadian behavior and interferes with circadian clock gene oscillations in brain and liver but not retina in a migratory songbird.
abstract: In songbirds, the pineal gland is part of the multi-oscillatory circadian timing system, with participating component oscillators in the eyes and hypothalamus. This study investigated the role of the pineal gland in development of the nighttime migratory restlessness (Zugunruhe) and generation of circadian gene oscillations in the retina, brain and liver tissues in migratory redheaded buntings (Emberiza bruniceps). Pinealectomized (pinx) and sham-operated buntings entrained to short days (8h light: 16h darkness, 8L:16D) were sequentially exposed for 10days each to stimulatory long days (13L: 11D) and constant dim light (LLdim; a condition that tested circadian rhythm persistence). Whereas activity-rest pattern was monitored continuously, the mRNA expressions of clock genes (bmal1, clock, npas2, per2, cry1, rorα, reverα) were measured in the retina, hypothalamus, telencephalon, optic tectum and liver tissues at circadian times, CT, 1, 6, 13, 17 and 21 (CT 0, activity onset) on day 11 of the LLdim. The absence of the pineal gland did not affect the development of long-day induced Zugunruhe but caused decay of the circadian rhythm in Zugunruhe as well as the clock gene oscillations in the hypothalamus, but not in the retina. Further, there were variable effects of pinealectomy in the peripheral brain and liver tissue circadian gene oscillations, notably the persistence of per 2 and cry1 (optic tectum), rorα (telencephalon) and npas2 (liver) mRNA oscillations in pinx birds. We suggest the pineal gland dependence of the generation of circadian gene oscillations in the hypothalamus, not retina, and peripheral brain and liver tissues in migratory redheaded buntings.
authors.affiliation: IndoUS Center on Biological Timing, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India.
authors.forename: Amit Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226 007, India.
authors.forename: Shalie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226 007, India.
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rani
authors.affiliation: IndoUS Center on Biological Timing, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India. Electronic address: drvkumar11@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D056930:ARNTL Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D057906:Circadian Clocks / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017440:Photoperiod; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012160:Retina; D020308:Songbirds / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D056930:ARNTL Transcription Factors
keywords: Bunting; Circadian; Clock gene; Hypothalamus; Peripheral oscillator; Pineal; Retina