Immunohistochemistry of the circadian clock in mouse and human vascular tissues.

Aim: The circadian clock is a molecular network that controls the body physiological rhythms. In blood vessels, the circadian clock components modulate vascular remodeling, blood pressure, and signaling. The goal in this study was to determine the pattern of expression of circadian clock proteins in the endothelium, smooth muscle, and adventitia of the vasculature of human and mouse tissues. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed in frozen sections of mouse aorta, common carotid artery, femoral artery, lung, and heart at 12 AM and 12 PM for Bmal1, Clock, Npas2, Per and other clock components. Studies of expression were also assessed in human saphenous vein both by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Results: In this study, we identified the expression of Bmal1, Clock, Npas, Per1, Cry1, and accessory clock components by immunohistochemical staining in the endothelium, smooth muscle and adventitia of the mouse vasculature with differing temporal and cellular profiles depending on vasculature and tissue analyzed. The human saphenous vein also exhibited expression of clock genes that exhibited an oscillatory pattern in Bmal1 and Cry by immunoblotting. Conclusion: These studies show that circadian clock components display differences in expression and localization throughout the cardiovascular system, which may confer nuances of circadian clock signaling in a cell-specific manner.

Increased superoxide and endothelial NO synthase uncoupling in blood vessels of Bmal1-knockout mice.

RATIONALE: Disruption of the circadian clock in mice produces vascular dysfunction as evidenced by impairments in endothelium-dependent signaling, vasomotion, and blood vessel remodeling. Although the altered function of endothelial NO synthase and the overproduction of reactive oxygen species are central to dysfunction of the endothelium, to date, the impact of the circadian clock on endothelial NO synthase coupling and vascular reactive oxygen species production is not known. OBJECTIVE: The goals of the present study were to determine whether deletion of a critical component of the circadian clock, Bmal1, can influence endothelial NO synthase coupling and reactive oxygen species levels in arteries from Bmal1-knockout (KO) mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: Endothelial function was reduced in aortae from Bmal1-KO mice and improved by scavenging reactive oxygen species with polyethylene glycol-superoxide dismutase and nonselectively inhibiting cyclooxygenase isoforms with indomethacin. Aortae from Bmal1-KO mice exhibited enhanced superoxide levels as determined by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and dihydroethidium fluorescence, an elevation that was abrogated by administration of nitro-l-arginine methyl ester. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed a reduction in tetrahydrobiopterin and an increase in dihydrobiopterin levels in the lung and aorta of Bmal1-KO mice, whereas supplementation with tetrahydrobiopterin improved endothelial function in the circadian clock KO mice. Furthermore, levels of tetrahydrobiopterin, dihydrobiopterin, and the key enzymes that regulate biopterin bioavailability, GTP cyclohydrolase and dihydrofolate reductase exhibited a circadian expression pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Having an established influence in the metabolic control of glucose and lipids, herein, we describe a novel role for the circadian clock in metabolism of biopterins, with a significant impact in the vasculature, to regulate coupling of endothelial NO synthase, production of superoxide, and maintenance of endothelial function.

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 dysfunction underlie vascular stiffness in circadian clock mutant mice.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if elasticity in blood vessels is compromised in circadian clock-mutant mice (Bmal1-knockout [KO] and Per-triple KO) and if matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) might confer these changes in compliance. METHODS AND RESULTS: High-resolution ultrasonography in vivo revealed impaired remodeling and increased pulse-wave velocity in the arteries of Bmal1-KO and Per-triple KO mice. In addition, compliance of remodeled arteries and naïve pressurized arterioles ex vivo from Bmal1-KO and Per-triple KO mice was reduced, consistent with stiffening of the vascular bed. The observed vascular stiffness was coincident with dysregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in Bmal1-KO mice. Furthermore, inhibition of MMPs improved indexes of pathological remodeling in wild-type mice, but the effect was abolished in Bmal1-KO mice. CONCLUSIONS: Circadian clock dysfunction contributes to hardening of arteries, which may involve impaired control of the extracellular matrix composition.