Heavy Water Lengthens the Molecular Circadian Clock Period in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus of Mice In Vitro

Abstract

Heavy water lengthens the periods of circadian rhythms in various plant and animal species. Many studies have reported that drinking heavy water lengthens the periods of circadian activity rhythms of rodents by slowing the clock mechanism in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the mammalian circadian center. The SCN clock is stable and robust against disturbance, due to its intercellular network. It is unclear whether this robustness provides resistance to the effects of heavy water. Here, we report that heavy water lengthened the rhythm period of clock gene expression of the SCN and peripheral tissues in vitro using a PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE bioluminescence reporter. Our results show that the period-elongation rate of the SCN is similar to those of other tissues. Therefore, the intercellular network of the SCN is not resistant to the period-elongation effect of heavy water.