Abstract
Photic induction of immediate early genes including c-fos in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) has been well demonstrated in the nocturnal rodents. On the other hand, in diurnal rodents, no data is available whether the light can induce c-fos or Fos in the SCN. We therefore examined whether 60 min light exposure induces Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-lir) in the SCN cells of diurnal chipmunks and whether the induction is phase dependent, comparing with the results in nocturnal hamsters. We also examined an effect of light on the locomotor activity rhythm under continuous darkness. Fos-lir was induced in the chipmunk SCN. The induction was clearly phase dependent. The light during the subjective night induced strong expression of Fos-lir. This phase dependency is similar to that in hamsters. However, unlike in hamsters, the Fos-lir was induced in some SCN cells of chipmunks exposed to light during the subjective day. In the locomotor rhythm, on the other hand, the light pulse failed to induce the phase shift at phases at which the Fos-lir was induced. These results suggest that the photic induction of Fos-lir in the diurnal chipmunks is gated by a circadian oscillator as well as in the nocturnal hamsters. However, the functional role of Fos protein may be different in the diurnal rodents from in the nocturnal rodents.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.
Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.
References
Abe H, Robertson HA, Rusak B (1992) NMDA and non-NMDA receptor antagonists inhibit photic induction of Fos protein in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus. Brain Res Bull 28: 831–835
Amir S (1992) Blocking NMDA receptors or nitric oxide production disrupts light transmission to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Brain Res 586: 336–339
Aronin N, Sagar SM, Sharp FR, Schwarts WJ (1990) Light regulates expression of a Fos related protein in rat suprachiasmatic nuclei. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 87: 5959–5962
Aschoff J (1965) Response curves in circadian periodicity. In: Aschoff J (ed) Circadian clocks. North-Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, pp 95–111
Bitting L, Sutin EL, Watson FL, Leard LE, O'Hara BF, Heller HC, Kilduff TS (1994) C-fos mRNA increases in the ground squirrel suprachiasmatic nucleus during arousal from hibernation. Neurosci Lett 165: 117–121
Cahill GM, Menaker M (1987) Kynurenic acid blocks suprachiasmatic nucleus responses to optic nerve stimulation. Brain Res 410: 125–129
Colwell CS, Ralph MR, Menaker M (1990) Do NMDA receptors mediate the effects of light on circadian behavior? Brain Res 523: 117–120
Colwell CS, Menaker M (1992) NMDA as well as non-NMDA receptor antagonists can prevent the phase shifting effects of light on the circadian system of the golden hamster. J Biol Rhythms 7: 125–136
Colwell CS, Kaufman CM, and Menaker M (1993) Photic induction of Fos in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus is inhibited by baclofen but not by diazepam or bicucullin. Neurosci Lett 163: 177–181
Daan S, Pittendrigh CS (1976) A functional analysis of circadian pacemakers in nocturnal rodents. II. The variability of phase response curves. J Comp Physiol 106: 253–266
Ginty DD, Kornhauser JM, Thompson MA, Bading H, Mayo KE, Takahashi JS, Greenberg ME (1993) Regulation of CREB phosphorylation in the suprachiasmatic nucleus by light and a circadian clock. Science 260: 238–241.
Gonzalez GR, Rosenstein RE, Cardinali DP (1994) Daily changes in presynaptic cholinergic activity of rat sympathetic superior cervical ganglion. Brain Res 636: 181–186
Harrington ME, Nance DM, Rusak B (1985) Neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity in the hamster geniculo-suprachiasmatic tract. Brain Res Bull 15: 465–472
Kim YI, Dudek FE (1991) Intracellular electrophysiological study of suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons in rodents: excitatory synaptic mechanisms. J Physiol (Lond) 444: 269–287
Kornhauser JM, Nelson DE, Mayo KE, Takahashi JS (1990) Photic and circadian regulation of c-fos gene expression in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus. Neuron 5: 127–134
Kornhauser JM, Nelson DE, Mayo KE, Takahashi JS (1992) Regulation of jun-B messenger RNA and AP-1 activity by light and a circadian clock. Science 255: 1581–1584
Kramm KR (1976) Phase control of circadian activity in the antelope ground squirrel. J Interdiscipl Cycle Res 7: 127–138
Moore RY, Klein DC (1974) Visual pathways and the central neural control of a circadian rhythm in pineal serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity. Brain Res 71: 17–33
Moore RY, Lenn NJ (1972) A retinohypothalamic projection in the rat. J Comp Neurol 146: 1–14
Morin LP, Blanchard J, Moore RY (1992) Intergeniculate leaflet and suprachiasmatic nucleus organization and connections in the golden hamster. Vissual Neurosci 8: 219–230
Navaneethakannan K, Chandrashekaran MK (1986) Light and dark pulse response curves in a day active palm squirrel Funambulus palmarum. Exp Biol 45: 267–273
Niijima A, Nagai K, Nagai N, Nakagawa H (1993) Effects of light stimulation on the activity of the autonomic nerves in anesthetized rats. Physiol Behav 54: 555–561
Pickard GE (1982) The afferent connections of the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the golden hamster with emphasis on the retinohypothalamic projection. J Comp Neurol 211: 65–83
Pohl H (1983) Light pulses entrain the circadian activity rhythm of a diurnal rodent (Ammospermophilus leucurus). Comp Biochem Physiol 76B: 723–729
Rea M (1989) Light increases Fos-related protein immunoreactivity in the rat suprachiasmatic nuclei. Brain Res Bull 23: 577–581
Rusak B, Robertson HA, Wisden W, Hunt SP (1990) Light pulses that shift rhythms induce gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Science 248: 1237–1240
Rusak B, McNaugton L, Robertson HA, Hunt SP (1992) Circadian variation in photic regulation of immediate-early gene mRNAs in rat suprachiasmatic nucleus cells. Mol Brain Res 14: 124–130
Sato T, Kawamura H (1984) Circadian rhythms in multiple unit activity inside and outside the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the diurnal chipmunk (Eutamias sibiricus). Neurosci Res 1: 45–52
Shibata S, Liou SY, Ueki S (1986) Influence of excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists and of baclofen on synaptic transmission in the optic nerve to the suprachiasmatic nucleus in slices of rat hypothalamus. Neuropharmacology 25: 403–409
Shibata S, Tsuneyoshi A, Hamada T, Tominaga K, Watanabe S (1992) Effect of substance P on circadian rhythms of firing activity and the 2-deoxyglucose uptake in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus in vitro. Brain Res 597: 257–263
Weber ET, Gillete MU, Rea MA (1994) Nitric oxide synthase inhibitor blocks light-induced phase shifts of the free-running activity rhythm in hamsters. Soc. Res on Biol Rhythms, Abstrs 4: 114
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abe, H., Honma, S., Shinohara, K. et al. Circadian modulation in photic induction of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus cells of diurnal chipmunk, Eutamias asiaticus . J Comp Physiol A 176, 159–167 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239919
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239919