Photoperiodic regulation in a wild-derived mouse strain

Sáenz de Miera, C., Beymer, M., Routledge, K., Król, E., Selman, C. , Hazlerigg, D. G. and Simonneaux, V. (2020) Photoperiodic regulation in a wild-derived mouse strain. Journal of Experimental Biology, 223(6), jeb217687. (doi: 10.1242/jeb.217687) (PMID:32098881)

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Abstract

MSM/Ms (MSM) is a mouse strain derived from Japanese wild mice, Mus musculus molossinus, that maintains the ability to synthesize melatonin in patterns reflecting the ambient photoperiod. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of photoperiodic variation on metabolic and reproductive traits, and the related changes in pituitary–hypothalamic gene expression in MSM mice. MSM mice were kept in long (LP) or short photoperiod (SP) for 6 weeks. Our results demonstrate that MSM mice kept in LP, as compared with mice kept in SP, display higher expression of genes encoding thyrotropin (TSH) in the pars tuberalis, thyroid hormone deiodinase 2 (dio2) in the tanycytes and RFamide-related peptide (RFRP3) in the hypothalamus, and lower expression of dio3 in the tanycytes, along with larger body and reproductive organ mass. Additionally, to assess the effects of the gestational photoperiodic environment on the expression of these genes, we kept MSM mice in LP or SP from gestation and studied their offspring. We show that the gestational photoperiod affects the TSH/dio pathway in newborn MSM mice in a similar way to adults. This result indicates a transgenerational effect of photoperiod from the mother to the fetus in utero. Overall, these results indicate that photoperiod can influence neuroendocrine regulation in a melatonin-proficient mouse strain, in a manner similar to that documented in other seasonal rodent species. MSM mice may therefore become a useful model for research into the molecular basis of photoperiodic regulation of seasonal biology.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:This project was supported by a University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Studies fellowship [project: Epigenetic light] to D.G.H., and a grant from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique [Repramide ANR-13-BSV1-001] to V.S.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Selman, Professor Colin
Creator Roles:
Selman, C.Conceptualization, Resources, Writing – review and editing
Authors: Sáenz de Miera, C., Beymer, M., Routledge, K., Król, E., Selman, C., Hazlerigg, D. G., and Simonneaux, V.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
Journal Name:Journal of Experimental Biology
Publisher:Company of Biologists
ISSN:0022-0949
ISSN (Online):1477-9145
Published Online:25 February 2020
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2020 The Company of Biologists Ltd
First Published:First published in Journal of Experimental Biology 223(6): jeb217687
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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