GABA in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Refines Circadian Output Rhythms in Mice

Overview

Journal Commun Biol

Specialty Biology

Date 2019 Jul 3

PMID 31263776

Citations 33

Authors

Daisuke Ono

Ken-Ichi Honma

Yuchio Yanagawa

Akihiro Yamanaka

Sato Honma

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In mammals, the circadian rhythms are regulated by the central clock located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is composed of heterogeneous neurons with various neurotransmitters. Among them an inhibitory neurotransmitter, γ-Amino-Butyric-Acid (GABA), is expressed in almost all SCN neurons, however, its role in the circadian physiology is still unclear. Here, we show that the SCN of fetal mice lacking vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) or GABA synthesizing enzyme, glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65/67), shows burst firings associated with large Ca spikes throughout 24 hours, which spread over the entire SCN slice in synchrony. By contrast, circadian PER2 rhythms in VGAT and GAD65/67 SCN remain intact. SCN-specific VGAT deletion in adult mice dampens circadian behavior rhythm. These findings indicate that GABA in the fetal SCN is necessary for refinement of the circadian firing rhythm and, possibly, for stabilizing the output signals, but not for circadian integration of multiple cellular oscillations.

Citing Articles

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