Work

Regulation of Locomotor activity in fed, fasted, and food-restricted mice lacking tissue-type plasminogen activator

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Circadian rhythms of physiology and behavior are driven by a circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. This clock is synchronized to environmental day/night cycles by photic input, which is dependent on the presence of mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the SCN. Mature BDNF is produced by the enzyme plasmin, which is converted from plasminogen by the enzyme tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA). In this study, we evaluate circadian function in mice lacking functional tPA. tPA −/− mice have normal circadian periods, but show decreased nocturnal wheel-running activity. This difference is eliminated or reversed on the second day of a 48-h fast. Similarly, when placed on daily cycles of restricted food availability the genotypic difference in total wheel-running activity disappears, and tPA −/− mice show equivalent amounts of food anticipatory activity to wild type mice. These data suggest that tPA regulates nocturnal wheel-running activity, and that tPA differentially affects SCN-driven nocturnal activity rhythms and activity driven by fasting or temporal food restriction.

Source: BMC Physiology

DOI: 10.1186/s12899-018-0036-0

Authors: Jessica A. Krizo, Linley E. Moreland, Ashutosh Rastogi, Xiang Mou, Rebecca A. Prosser, Eric M. Mintz

Institutions: Kent State University, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Tennessee at Knoxville

Language: English

Topic: Circadian rhythm and melatonin

Subfield: Endocrine and Autonomic Systems

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,170