The Exposure to Different Photoperiods Strongly Modulates the Glucose and Lipid Metabolisms of Normoweight Fischer 344 Rats

Seasonal variations in day length trigger clear changes in the behavior, growth, food intake, and reproductive status of photoperiod-sensitive animals, such as Fischer 344 rats. However, there is little information about the effects of seasonal fluctuations in day length on glucose and lipid metabol...

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Main Authors: Roger Mariné-Casadó, Cristina Domenech-Coca, Josep M. del Bas, Cinta Bladé, Lluís Arola, Antoni Caimari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Physiology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2018.00416/full
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author Roger Mariné-Casadó
Cristina Domenech-Coca
Josep M. del Bas
Cinta Bladé
Lluís Arola
Lluís Arola
Antoni Caimari
author_facet Roger Mariné-Casadó
Cristina Domenech-Coca
Josep M. del Bas
Cinta Bladé
Lluís Arola
Lluís Arola
Antoni Caimari
author_sort Roger Mariné-Casadó
collection DOAJ
description Seasonal variations in day length trigger clear changes in the behavior, growth, food intake, and reproductive status of photoperiod-sensitive animals, such as Fischer 344 rats. However, there is little information about the effects of seasonal fluctuations in day length on glucose and lipid metabolisms and their underlying mechanisms in this model. To gain knowledge on these issues, three groups of male Fischer 344 rats were fed with a standard diet and exposed to different photoperiods for 14 weeks: normal photoperiod (L12, 12 h light/day), long photoperiod (L18, 18 h light/day), and short photoperiod (L6, 6 h light/day). A multivariate analysis carried out with 239 biometric, serum, hepatic and skeletal muscle parameters revealed a clear separation among the three groups. Compared with L12 rats, L6 animals displayed a marked alteration of glucose homeostasis and fatty acid uptake and oxidation, which were evidenced by the following observations: (1) increased circulating levels of glucose and non-esterified fatty acids; (2) a sharp down-regulation of the phosphorylated Akt2 levels, a downstream post-receptor target of insulin, in both the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles; (3) decreased expression in the soleus muscle of the glucose metabolism-related microRNA-194 and lower mRNA levels of the genes involved in glucose metabolism (Irs1, soleus, and Glut2, liver), β-oxidation (Had and Cpt1β, soleus) and fatty acid transport (Cd36, soleus, and liver). L18 animals also displayed higher blood glucose levels than L12 rats and profound changes in other glucose and lipid metabolism-related parameters in the blood, liver, and skeletal muscles. However, the mechanisms that account for the observed effects were less evident than those reported in L6 animals. In conclusion, exposure to different photoperiods strongly modulated glucose and lipid metabolisms in normoweight rats. These findings emphasize the relevance of circannual rhythms in metabolic homeostasis regulation and suggest that Fischer 344 rats are a promising animal model with which to study glucose- and lipid-related pathologies that are influenced by seasonal variations, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and seasonal affective disorder.
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spelling doaj.art-9d702d73e7a8435cb08436939d7679ea2022-12-21T18:46:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2018-04-01910.3389/fphys.2018.00416355925The Exposure to Different Photoperiods Strongly Modulates the Glucose and Lipid Metabolisms of Normoweight Fischer 344 RatsRoger Mariné-Casadó0Cristina Domenech-Coca1Josep M. del Bas2Cinta Bladé3Lluís Arola4Lluís Arola5Antoni Caimari6Technological Unit of Nutrition and Health, Eurecat, Technology Centre of Catalonia, Reus, SpainNutrigenomics Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, SpainTechnological Unit of Nutrition and Health, Eurecat, Technology Centre of Catalonia, Reus, SpainNutrigenomics Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, SpainTechnological Unit of Nutrition and Health, Eurecat, Technology Centre of Catalonia, Reus, SpainNutrigenomics Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, SpainTechnological Unit of Nutrition and Health, Eurecat, Technology Centre of Catalonia, Reus, SpainSeasonal variations in day length trigger clear changes in the behavior, growth, food intake, and reproductive status of photoperiod-sensitive animals, such as Fischer 344 rats. However, there is little information about the effects of seasonal fluctuations in day length on glucose and lipid metabolisms and their underlying mechanisms in this model. To gain knowledge on these issues, three groups of male Fischer 344 rats were fed with a standard diet and exposed to different photoperiods for 14 weeks: normal photoperiod (L12, 12 h light/day), long photoperiod (L18, 18 h light/day), and short photoperiod (L6, 6 h light/day). A multivariate analysis carried out with 239 biometric, serum, hepatic and skeletal muscle parameters revealed a clear separation among the three groups. Compared with L12 rats, L6 animals displayed a marked alteration of glucose homeostasis and fatty acid uptake and oxidation, which were evidenced by the following observations: (1) increased circulating levels of glucose and non-esterified fatty acids; (2) a sharp down-regulation of the phosphorylated Akt2 levels, a downstream post-receptor target of insulin, in both the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles; (3) decreased expression in the soleus muscle of the glucose metabolism-related microRNA-194 and lower mRNA levels of the genes involved in glucose metabolism (Irs1, soleus, and Glut2, liver), β-oxidation (Had and Cpt1β, soleus) and fatty acid transport (Cd36, soleus, and liver). L18 animals also displayed higher blood glucose levels than L12 rats and profound changes in other glucose and lipid metabolism-related parameters in the blood, liver, and skeletal muscles. However, the mechanisms that account for the observed effects were less evident than those reported in L6 animals. In conclusion, exposure to different photoperiods strongly modulated glucose and lipid metabolisms in normoweight rats. These findings emphasize the relevance of circannual rhythms in metabolic homeostasis regulation and suggest that Fischer 344 rats are a promising animal model with which to study glucose- and lipid-related pathologies that are influenced by seasonal variations, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and seasonal affective disorder.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2018.00416/fullphotoperiodcircannual rhythmsinsulin sensitivityglucose metabolismlipid metabolism
spellingShingle Roger Mariné-Casadó
Cristina Domenech-Coca
Josep M. del Bas
Cinta Bladé
Lluís Arola
Lluís Arola
Antoni Caimari
The Exposure to Different Photoperiods Strongly Modulates the Glucose and Lipid Metabolisms of Normoweight Fischer 344 Rats
Frontiers in Physiology
photoperiod
circannual rhythms
insulin sensitivity
glucose metabolism
lipid metabolism
title The Exposure to Different Photoperiods Strongly Modulates the Glucose and Lipid Metabolisms of Normoweight Fischer 344 Rats
title_full The Exposure to Different Photoperiods Strongly Modulates the Glucose and Lipid Metabolisms of Normoweight Fischer 344 Rats
title_fullStr The Exposure to Different Photoperiods Strongly Modulates the Glucose and Lipid Metabolisms of Normoweight Fischer 344 Rats
title_full_unstemmed The Exposure to Different Photoperiods Strongly Modulates the Glucose and Lipid Metabolisms of Normoweight Fischer 344 Rats
title_short The Exposure to Different Photoperiods Strongly Modulates the Glucose and Lipid Metabolisms of Normoweight Fischer 344 Rats
title_sort exposure to different photoperiods strongly modulates the glucose and lipid metabolisms of normoweight fischer 344 rats
topic photoperiod
circannual rhythms
insulin sensitivity
glucose metabolism
lipid metabolism
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2018.00416/full
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