Resetting Process of Peripheral Circadian Gene Expression after the Combined Reversal of Feeding Schedule and Light/Dark Cycle Via a 24-h Light Period Transition in Rats

To investigate the effect of light cue on the resetting of the peripheral clocks, we examined the resetting processes of clock genes (Per1, Per2, Bmal1, Cry1, Dec1, and Rev-erbalpha) in the liver and heart of rats after the feeding and light-dark (LD) reversal via a 24-h light period transition. The liver clock was reset quickly within 3 days, while the heart clock needed a longer time course of 5-7 days to be completely re-entrained. Moreover, the re-entrainment of Per1 and Per2 in the liver clock was more rapid than that of the other four clock genes, suggesting the important role of these two clock genes in initiating the circadian resetting of the hepatic clock. However, the resetting rates of these two clock genes were as similar as the others in the heart clock. Therefore, the resetting mechanisms underlining these two peripheral clocks may be totally distinct. Furthermore, the re-entrainment of the liver and heart clocks were relatively lengthened after the feeding and LD reversal via a light period transition compared to a dark period transition, suggesting a simultaneous shift of feeding schedule and the LD cycle may facilitate the circadian resetting in rats.