Light at night disrupts diel patterns of cytokine gene expression and endocrine profiles in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

Ila Mishra; Reinhard M. Knerr; Alexander A. Stewart; Wesley I. Payette; Melanie M. Richter; Noah T. Ashley

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-51791-9

Light at night disrupts diel patterns of cytokine gene expression and endocrine profiles in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

Ila Mishra
, Reinhard M. Knerr
, Alexander A. Stewart
, Wesley I. Payette
, Melanie M. Richter
, Noah T. Ashley

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

Increased exposure to light pollution perturbs physiological processes through misalignment of daily rhythms at the cellular and tissue levels. Effects of artificial light-at-night (ALAN) on diel properties of immunity are currently unknown. We therefore tested the effects of ALAN on diel patterns of cytokine gene expression, as well as key hormones involved with the regulation of immunity, in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Circulating melatonin and corticosterone, and mRNA expression levels of pro- (IL-1β, IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines were measured at six time points across 24-h day in brain (nidopallium, hippocampus, and hypothalamus) and peripheral tissues (liver, spleen, and fat) of zebra finches exposed to 12 h light:12 h darkness (LD), dim light-at-night (DLAN) or constant bright light (LLbright). Melatonin and corticosterone concentrations were significantly rhythmic under LD, but not under LLbright and DLAN. Genes coding for cytokines showed tissue-specific diurnal rhythms under LD and were lost with exposure to LLbright, except IL-6 in hypothalamus and liver. In comparison to LLbright, effects of DLAN were less adverse with persistence of some diurnal rhythms, albeit with significant waveform alterations. These results underscore the circadian regulation of biosynthesis of immune effectors and imply the susceptibility of daily immune and endocrine patterns to ALAN.

Original language	English
Article number	15833
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	9
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51791-9
State	Published - Dec 1 2019

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019, The Author(s).

Funding

These experiments were funded by the National Science Foundation (IOS-1557882) and the National Institutes of Health (R15GM117534) to NTA. We thank Nicholas Wheeler, Keelee Pullum, Sasha Sairajeev, Anna Strunjas and Kristen Eads for assistance with sampling and qPCR analysis. Animals and maintenance. Adult zebra finches (n = 90; 36 females and 54 males) were housed in an indoor flight aviary (96” x 72” x 72”), 12:12h light-dark cycle, lights on at 8am, 21°C±1°C) at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky. We used male and female birds that were acclimated to 12 L:12D cycles for 10 days after purchase from an aviculturist in Washington state. This study was conducted under the approval of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at Western Kentucky University, and procedures followed the National Institutes of Health’s “Guide for the Use and Care of Laboratory Animals” and international ethical standards. Birds were provided with seed, lettuce, grit, cuttlebone and water ad libitum throughout the acclimation and experiments.

Funders	Funder number
National Institutes of Health’s
National Science Foundation Arctic Social Science Program	IOS-1557882
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	R15GM117534
University of Western Kentucky

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title = "Light at night disrupts diel patterns of cytokine gene expression and endocrine profiles in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)",

abstract = "Increased exposure to light pollution perturbs physiological processes through misalignment of daily rhythms at the cellular and tissue levels. Effects of artificial light-at-night (ALAN) on diel properties of immunity are currently unknown. We therefore tested the effects of ALAN on diel patterns of cytokine gene expression, as well as key hormones involved with the regulation of immunity, in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Circulating melatonin and corticosterone, and mRNA expression levels of pro- (IL-1β, IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines were measured at six time points across 24-h day in brain (nidopallium, hippocampus, and hypothalamus) and peripheral tissues (liver, spleen, and fat) of zebra finches exposed to 12 h light:12 h darkness (LD), dim light-at-night (DLAN) or constant bright light (LLbright). Melatonin and corticosterone concentrations were significantly rhythmic under LD, but not under LLbright and DLAN. Genes coding for cytokines showed tissue-specific diurnal rhythms under LD and were lost with exposure to LLbright, except IL-6 in hypothalamus and liver. In comparison to LLbright, effects of DLAN were less adverse with persistence of some diurnal rhythms, albeit with significant waveform alterations. These results underscore the circadian regulation of biosynthesis of immune effectors and imply the susceptibility of daily immune and endocrine patterns to ALAN.",

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Light at night disrupts diel patterns of cytokine gene expression and endocrine profiles in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

Abstract

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