The daily organization of retinal function relies on passive responses to changes in ambient light intensity but also on a complex endogenous circadian clock system. The primary hallmark of clocks is that they continue to run in constant environmental conditions (e.g., total darkness) with periods of approximately 24 h (circadian clocks), and are synchronized to environmental rhythms through external cues, such as the light/dark cycle. By interacting with the dopamine and melatonin neuromodulator systems that are involved in light/dark adaptation, the retinal clock provides a mechanism to anticipate the change in light intensity that occurs at dawn and dusk, thus helping the retina to adapt in a time- and energy-efficient manner at the transition times. Accumulative indirect evidence indicates that impairment of the circadian regulation of retinal physiology may contribute to photoreceptor cell death in some degenerative retinal diseases. Therefore, establishing the basis of circadian rhythmicity in the retina is essential for our understanding of retinal physiology and pathophysiology. To this end, determining the nature and precise location of the circadian clock that drives daily rhythmicity in the retina is crucial. Recent developments in the field indicate that the clock machinery is a cell-based mechanism that relies on a set of genes and proteins (the clock components). Although the clock components are expressed in retinal tissue, the molecular mechanism and the exact location of the mammalian retinal clock are still elusive in part because clock gene expression is widespread among retinal layers. These observations suggest that more than one clock may be located in the mammalian retina. A circadian clock is likely located in the photoreceptor cells where it drives the rhythmic synthesis and release of melatonin. However, it is still unclear whether the rhythmic activity of the dopaminergic amacrine cells is under the control of a clock located within the dopaminergic cells or whether it is driven by the melatonin rhythm. Because melatonin and dopamine strongly interact with each other, it is also unclear whether light entrains retinal rhythms via its effects on dopamine or on melatonin. Our central hypothesis is that a fully functional circadian clock is located in the dopaminergic amacrine cells. The proposed experiments will be conducted on isolated mouse neural retinas maintained in vitro for several days in constant environmental conditions. Using an HPLC technique to measure dopamine levels and in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry to analyze clock component expression, we will determine 1) whether a clock in the mouse retina controls dopamine levels and whether this rhythm is dependent on the melatonin rhythm and/or the presence of the photoreceptors;2) which clock components display self-sustained expression in vitro and are required for the dopamine rhythm to occur;and 3) whether light entrainment primarily affects the dopamine and/or the melatonin rhythm and/or the expression of specific clock elements. Retinas from melatonin-deficient, melatonin-proficient and genetically-modified mice will be used in each of the specific aims.

Public Health Relevance

Completion of this research project will provide a better understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of the circadian clock in the mammalian retina and thus increase our knowledge of how the circadian clock controls day/night differences in retinal function. Impairment of circadian rhythmicity in the retina has been linked to photoreceptor cell death and therefore this study will provide fundamental insights into the mechanisms that underlie retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY018640-04
Application #
8126285
Study Section
Biology and Diseases of the Posterior Eye Study Section (BDPE)
Program Officer
Greenwell, Thomas
Project Start
2009-10-02
Project End
2014-08-31
Budget Start
2011-09-01
Budget End
2012-08-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$320,760
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston
Department
Ophthalmology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
800771594
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77225
Felder-Schmittbuhl, Marie-Paule; Buhr, Ethan D; Dkhissi-Benyahya, Ouria et al. (2018) Ocular Clocks: Adapting Mechanisms for Eye Functions and Health. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 59:4856-4870
Zhang, Zhijing; Silveyra, Eduardo; Jin, Nange et al. (2018) A congenic line of the C57BL/6J mouse strain that is proficient in melatonin synthesis. J Pineal Res 65:e12509
Spix, Nathan J; Liu, Lei-Lei; Zhang, Zhijing et al. (2016) Vulnerability of Dopaminergic Amacrine Cells to Chronic Ischemia in a Mouse Model of Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 57:3047-57
Qiao, Sheng-Nan; Zhang, Zhijing; Ribelayga, Christophe P et al. (2016) Multiple cone pathways are involved in photic regulation of retinal dopamine. Sci Rep 6:28916
Jin, Nan Ge; Ribelayga, Christophe P (2016) Direct Evidence for Daily Plasticity of Electrical Coupling between Rod Photoreceptors in the Mammalian Retina. J Neurosci 36:178-84
Jin, Nan Ge; Chuang, Alice Z; Masson, Philippe J et al. (2015) Reply from Nan Ge Jin, Alice Z. Chuang, Philippe J. Masson and Christophe P. Ribelayga. J Physiol 593:2977-8
Zhang, Zhijing; Li, Hongyan; Liu, Xiaoqin et al. (2015) Circadian clock control of connexin36 phosphorylation in retinal photoreceptors of the CBA/CaJ mouse strain. Vis Neurosci 32:E009
Jin, Nan Ge; Chuang, Alice Z; Masson, Philippe J et al. (2015) Rod electrical coupling is controlled by a circadian clock and dopamine in mouse retina. J Physiol 593:1597-631
Mao, Chai-An; Li, Hongyan; Zhang, Zhijing et al. (2014) T-box transcription regulator Tbr2 is essential for the formation and maintenance of Opn4/melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. J Neurosci 34:13083-95
Li, Hongyan; Zhang, Zhijing; Blackburn, Michael R et al. (2013) Adenosine and dopamine receptors coregulate photoreceptor coupling via gap junction phosphorylation in mouse retina. J Neurosci 33:3135-50

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