Genes and body's 24-hour clock: NIH study

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

 

I thought you might find this of interest.

 

Andrea Beth

 

Traditional Oriental Medicine

Happy Hours in the CALM Center

635 S. 10th St.

Cottonwood, AZ  86326

(928) 274-1373

 

 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

(NICHD) <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>

For Immediate Release: Monday, March 30, 2009

 

CONTACTS: Robert Bock or Marianne Glass Miller, 301-496-5133, <e-mail:

bockr

 

GENE SCAN SHOWS BODY'S CLOCK INFLUENCES NUMEROUS PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS

From Immunity to Thyroid Hormones, Pineal Gland Exerts Effects on 600 Genes

 

The

pineal gland -- integral to setting the body's sleep and wake cycles --

may be involved in a broad range of bodily functions, according to a

study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other

institutions.

 

Using a technology that scans for the activity of

thousands of genes at a time, the researchers found that the activity

of  more than 600 genes in the pineal gland are synchronized in some

way with the 24-hour  sleep and wake cycle.  The genes influence such

diverse functions as inflammation and immunity. 

 

Researchers

have traditionally studied the gland in hopes of gaining insight into

the health problems of shift workers and people who frequently travel

between time zones.  The pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin,

which regulates the cycle of sleep and waking. 

 

" The results

of this study indicate that the pineal gland may be involved in a far

greater range of physiological functions than we thought, " said Duane

Alexander, M.D., director of NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National

Institute of Child Health and Human Development, where much of the

research took place.  " An understanding of how the pineal gland

interacts with the genes that the researchers identified could provide

insight into a broad range of disorders and conditions. "  

 

The

study appears in the March 20, 2009 issue of The Journal of Biological

Chemistry.  The study's first author was Michael J. Bailey, of the

NICHD Section on Neuroendocrinology.  Other authors of the paper were

from the NIH Center for Information Technology, NIH's National

Institute of Mental Health, Cardiff University, Wales, the University

of Copenhagen, Denmark, King's College of London, England, and The

Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego,

Calif.

 

The pineal gland is located within the brain, explained

the study's senior author, David Klein, Ph.D., Chief of the Section on

Neuroendocrinology.  To conduct the study, Dr. Klein and his colleagues

analyzed rodent pineal glands with a gene chip, a device that can

analyze the activity of thousands of genes at a time.  The researchers

found that the activity of 604 genes changed on a 24-hour schedule,

more than has been reported to occur in any other tissue.

 

The

researchers discovered that these genes increase their activity from 2-

to 100-fold during a 24-hour cycle.   About 70 percent of the genes

were found to increase activity at night, the remaining 30 percent

during the day. The genes are involved in a variety of functions, and

govern such processes as:

 

-- inflammation (swelling)

-- the immune response

-- cell adhesion (how cells bind, or join together)

-- the cell cycle (the reproduction and death of cells)

-- the cytoskeleton (the inner structural material of cells)

-- calcium metabolism

-- cholesterol production

-- endothelial tissue (the tissue that lines many of the -- body's organs and

structures)

-- transcription (the process by which  DNA sequences are -- eventually

converted through RNA into proteins)

-- effects of the thyroid gland on the pineal gland

-- cell signaling (the process through which hormones and -- other factors

control cells)

-- copper and zinc biology

 

" We

were really surprised by what we found, " Dr. Klein said.  " We did not

expect to find 24-hour rhythms in the functioning of so many genes. "

 

Dr.

Klein said that, as he and his coworkers expected, many of the genes

active in the pineal gland are also active in the retina of the eye. 

The study authors cited this finding as highly compelling evidence that

the pineal gland and the retina evolved from the same primitive light

detecting structure.   An earlier study on this possible evolutionary

relationship is available at:

<http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/pinealgland.cfm>. 

 

The

pineal gland is controlled by a brain structure known as the

suprachiasmic nucleus, located at the base of the brain, Dr. Klein

said.  The suprachiasmatic nucleus is known as The Mind's Clock,

because it coordinates body rhythms in response to changes in lighting

that are detected by the eyes.  The suprachiasmatic nucleus is

connected to the pineal gland by nerve cells.  At night, a brain

chemical called norepinephrine, which transmits information through

nerve cell networks, is released in the pineal gland.   

Norepinephrine, in turn, stimulates the production of another compound

within the cells of the pineal gland, known as cyclic adenosine

monophosphate (cyclic AMP).  Cyclic AMP causes the pineal gland to

produce melatonin. 

 

The researchers noted that the daily

changes in gene activity observed in the study were controlled by the

release of norepinephrine and the increase of cyclic AMP.

 

" This

is surprising, because we did not anticipate that the release of one

molecule -- norepinephrine -- would be found to control the activity of

hundreds of genes, " Dr. Klein said.  " It appears that this one signal

triggers a highly complex response that is necessary for normal

rhythmic function of the pineal gland. "

 

Dr. Klein added that

he and his colleagues are planning future studies to discern both how

the cells of the pineal gland are controlled and how they influence the

genes controlling other cellular functions. 

 

" We have a long

way to go before we can fully understand the role of the pineal gland

and what makes it tick, " Dr. Klein said.  " I suspect that the pineal

gland plays a much broader role in human health than anyone has ever

imagined. "

 

This research was funded by the Intramural Research

Program of the NICHD; the Center for Information Technology;  The

Wellcome Trust;  the Biological Sciences Research Council;  the

Lundbeck Foundation; the Danish Medical Research Council; the Novo

Nordisk Foundation; the Carlsberg Foundation; the Fonden til

Lægevidenskabens Fremme; the Simon Fougner Hartmanns Familiefond; and

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Health Research Formula Funds.

 

The

NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth;

maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and population

issues; and medical rehabilitation.  For more information, visit the

Institute's Web site at <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>.

 

The

National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research

Agency -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal

agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational

medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures

for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and

its programs, visit <www.nih.gov>.

 

##

 

This NIH News Release is available online at:

<http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2009/nichd-30.htm>.

 

To (or ) from this list, go to

<http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihpress & A=1>.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thanks for this! I wonder if they can now tie into this the 2 hour cycle of how

the cerbrospinal fluid biochemistry changes back and forth (yin and yang) and is

like the Chinese Clock........

 

Sincerely, Patricia Jordan DVM,CVA,CTCVM & Herbology

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine ;

; alumni

 

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:37:26 -0700

Genes and body's 24-hour clock: NIH study

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Everyone,

 

I thought you might find this of interest.

 

Andrea Beth

 

Traditional Oriental Medicine

Happy Hours in the CALM Center

635 S. 10th St.

Cottonwood, AZ 86326

(928) 274-1373

 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

(NICHD) <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>

For Immediate Release: Monday, March 30, 2009

 

CONTACTS: Robert Bock or Marianne Glass Miller, 301-496-5133, <e-mail:

bockr

 

GENE SCAN SHOWS BODY'S CLOCK INFLUENCES NUMEROUS PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS

From Immunity to Thyroid Hormones, Pineal Gland Exerts Effects on 600 Genes

 

The

pineal gland -- integral to setting the body's sleep and wake cycles --

may be involved in a broad range of bodily functions, according to a

study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other

institutions.

 

Using a technology that scans for the activity of

thousands of genes at a time, the researchers found that the activity

of more than 600 genes in the pineal gland are synchronized in some

way with the 24-hour sleep and wake cycle. The genes influence such

diverse functions as inflammation and immunity.

 

Researchers

have traditionally studied the gland in hopes of gaining insight into

the health problems of shift workers and people who frequently travel

between time zones. The pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin,

which regulates the cycle of sleep and waking.

 

" The results

of this study indicate that the pineal gland may be involved in a far

greater range of physiological functions than we thought, " said Duane

Alexander, M.D., director of NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National

Institute of Child Health and Human Development, where much of the

research took place. " An understanding of how the pineal gland

interacts with the genes that the researchers identified could provide

insight into a broad range of disorders and conditions. "

 

The

study appears in the March 20, 2009 issue of The Journal of Biological

Chemistry. The study's first author was Michael J. Bailey, of the

NICHD Section on Neuroendocrinology. Other authors of the paper were

from the NIH Center for Information Technology, NIH's National

Institute of Mental Health, Cardiff University, Wales, the University

of Copenhagen, Denmark, King's College of London, England, and The

Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego,

Calif.

 

The pineal gland is located within the brain, explained

the study's senior author, David Klein, Ph.D., Chief of the Section on

Neuroendocrinology. To conduct the study, Dr. Klein and his colleagues

analyzed rodent pineal glands with a gene chip, a device that can

analyze the activity of thousands of genes at a time. The researchers

found that the activity of 604 genes changed on a 24-hour schedule,

more than has been reported to occur in any other tissue.

 

The

researchers discovered that these genes increase their activity from 2-

to 100-fold during a 24-hour cycle. About 70 percent of the genes

were found to increase activity at night, the remaining 30 percent

during the day. The genes are involved in a variety of functions, and

govern such processes as:

 

-- inflammation (swelling)

-- the immune response

-- cell adhesion (how cells bind, or join together)

-- the cell cycle (the reproduction and death of cells)

-- the cytoskeleton (the inner structural material of cells)

-- calcium metabolism

-- cholesterol production

-- endothelial tissue (the tissue that lines many of the -- body's organs and

structures)

-- transcription (the process by which DNA sequences are -- eventually

converted through RNA into proteins)

-- effects of the thyroid gland on the pineal gland

-- cell signaling (the process through which hormones and -- other factors

control cells)

-- copper and zinc biology

 

" We

were really surprised by what we found, " Dr. Klein said. " We did not

expect to find 24-hour rhythms in the functioning of so many genes. "

 

Dr.

Klein said that, as he and his coworkers expected, many of the genes

active in the pineal gland are also active in the retina of the eye.

The study authors cited this finding as highly compelling evidence that

the pineal gland and the retina evolved from the same primitive light

detecting structure. An earlier study on this possible evolutionary

relationship is available at:

<http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/pinealgland.cfm>.

 

The

pineal gland is controlled by a brain structure known as the

suprachiasmic nucleus, located at the base of the brain, Dr. Klein

said. The suprachiasmatic nucleus is known as The Mind's Clock,

because it coordinates body rhythms in response to changes in lighting

that are detected by the eyes. The suprachiasmatic nucleus is

connected to the pineal gland by nerve cells. At night, a brain

chemical called norepinephrine, which transmits information through

nerve cell networks, is released in the pineal gland.

Norepinephrine, in turn, stimulates the production of another compound

within the cells of the pineal gland, known as cyclic adenosine

monophosphate (cyclic AMP). Cyclic AMP causes the pineal gland to

produce melatonin.

 

The researchers noted that the daily

changes in gene activity observed in the study were controlled by the

release of norepinephrine and the increase of cyclic AMP.

 

" This

is surprising, because we did not anticipate that the release of one

molecule -- norepinephrine -- would be found to control the activity of

hundreds of genes, " Dr. Klein said. " It appears that this one signal

triggers a highly complex response that is necessary for normal

rhythmic function of the pineal gland. "

 

Dr. Klein added that

he and his colleagues are planning future studies to discern both how

the cells of the pineal gland are controlled and how they influence the

genes controlling other cellular functions.

 

" We have a long

way to go before we can fully understand the role of the pineal gland

and what makes it tick, " Dr. Klein said. " I suspect that the pineal

gland plays a much broader role in human health than anyone has ever

imagined. "

 

This research was funded by the Intramural Research

Program of the NICHD; the Center for Information Technology; The

Wellcome Trust; the Biological Sciences Research Council; the

Lundbeck Foundation; the Danish Medical Research Council; the Novo

Nordisk Foundation; the Carlsberg Foundation; the Fonden til

Lægevidenskabens Fremme; the Simon Fougner Hartmanns Familiefond; and

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Health Research Formula Funds.

 

The

NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth;

maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and population

issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit the

Institute's Web site at <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>.

 

The

National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research

Agency -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal

agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational

medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures

for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and

its programs, visit <www.nih.gov>.

 

##

 

This NIH News Release is available online at:

<http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2009/nichd-30.htm>.

 

To (or ) from this list, go to

<http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihpress & A=1>.

 

 

[Guest guest]

And that is the whole point! Chronobiology is one of the true

meeting points of the cutting edge of biomedicine and Chinese medical

theory, specifically wu yun liu qi xue shuo/five movements six qi

theory. This theory was first developed in the Su Wen, chapters

69-77. Paul Unschuld devotes a long appendix to the topic in his

Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen text. . .

 

 

On Mar 31, 2009, at 1:41 PM, Patricia Jordan wrote:

 

>

> Thanks for this! I wonder if they can now tie into this the 2 hour

> cycle of how the cerbrospinal fluid biochemistry changes back and

> forth (yin and yang) and is like the Chinese Clock........

>

> Sincerely, Patricia Jordan DVM,CVA,CTCVM & Herbology

>

>

>

>

>

> Chinese Traditional Medicine ;

 

> ; alumni

>

> Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:37:26 -0700

> Genes and body's 24-hour clock: NIH study

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi Everyone,

>

> I thought you might find this of interest.

>

> Andrea Beth

>

> Traditional Oriental Medicine

> Happy Hours in the CALM Center

> 635 S. 10th St.

> Cottonwood, AZ 86326

> (928) 274-1373

>

> U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

> NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News

> Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human

> Development (NICHD) <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>

> For Immediate Release: Monday, March 30, 2009

>

> CONTACTS: Robert Bock or Marianne Glass Miller, 301-496-5133, <e-

> mail: bockr

>

> GENE SCAN SHOWS BODY'S CLOCK INFLUENCES NUMEROUS PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS

> From Immunity to Thyroid Hormones, Pineal Gland Exerts Effects on

> 600 Genes

>

> The

> pineal gland -- integral to setting the body's sleep and wake cycles

> --

> may be involved in a broad range of bodily functions, according to a

> study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other

> institutions.

>

> Using a technology that scans for the activity of

> thousands of genes at a time, the researchers found that the activity

> of more than 600 genes in the pineal gland are synchronized in some

> way with the 24-hour sleep and wake cycle. The genes influence such

> diverse functions as inflammation and immunity.

>

> Researchers

> have traditionally studied the gland in hopes of gaining insight into

> the health problems of shift workers and people who frequently travel

> between time zones. The pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin,

> which regulates the cycle of sleep and waking.

>

> " The results

> of this study indicate that the pineal gland may be involved in a far

> greater range of physiological functions than we thought, " said Duane

> Alexander, M.D., director of NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National

> Institute of Child Health and Human Development, where much of the

> research took place. " An understanding of how the pineal gland

> interacts with the genes that the researchers identified could provide

> insight into a broad range of disorders and conditions. "

>

> The

> study appears in the March 20, 2009 issue of The Journal of Biological

> Chemistry. The study's first author was Michael J. Bailey, of the

> NICHD Section on Neuroendocrinology. Other authors of the paper were

> from the NIH Center for Information Technology, NIH's National

> Institute of Mental Health, Cardiff University, Wales, the University

> of Copenhagen, Denmark, King's College of London, England, and The

> Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego,

> Calif.

>

> The pineal gland is located within the brain, explained

> the study's senior author, David Klein, Ph.D., Chief of the Section on

> Neuroendocrinology. To conduct the study, Dr. Klein and his

> colleagues

> analyzed rodent pineal glands with a gene chip, a device that can

> analyze the activity of thousands of genes at a time. The researchers

> found that the activity of 604 genes changed on a 24-hour schedule,

> more than has been reported to occur in any other tissue.

>

> The

> researchers discovered that these genes increase their activity from

> 2-

> to 100-fold during a 24-hour cycle. About 70 percent of the genes

> were found to increase activity at night, the remaining 30 percent

> during the day. The genes are involved in a variety of functions, and

> govern such processes as:

>

> -- inflammation (swelling)

> -- the immune response

> -- cell adhesion (how cells bind, or join together)

> -- the cell cycle (the reproduction and death of cells)

> -- the cytoskeleton (the inner structural material of cells)

> -- calcium metabolism

> -- cholesterol production

> -- endothelial tissue (the tissue that lines many of the -- body's

> organs and structures)

> -- transcription (the process by which DNA sequences are --

> eventually converted through RNA into proteins)

> -- effects of the thyroid gland on the pineal gland

> -- cell signaling (the process through which hormones and -- other

> factors control cells)

> -- copper and zinc biology

>

> " We

> were really surprised by what we found, " Dr. Klein said. " We did not

> expect to find 24-hour rhythms in the functioning of so many genes. "

>

> Dr.

> Klein said that, as he and his coworkers expected, many of the genes

> active in the pineal gland are also active in the retina of the eye.

> The study authors cited this finding as highly compelling evidence

> that

> the pineal gland and the retina evolved from the same primitive light

> detecting structure. An earlier study on this possible evolutionary

> relationship is available at:

<http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/pinealgland.cfm

> >.

>

> The

> pineal gland is controlled by a brain structure known as the

> suprachiasmic nucleus, located at the base of the brain, Dr. Klein

> said. The suprachiasmatic nucleus is known as The Mind's Clock,

> because it coordinates body rhythms in response to changes in lighting

> that are detected by the eyes. The suprachiasmatic nucleus is

> connected to the pineal gland by nerve cells. At night, a brain

> chemical called norepinephrine, which transmits information through

> nerve cell networks, is released in the pineal gland.

> Norepinephrine, in turn, stimulates the production of another compound

> within the cells of the pineal gland, known as cyclic adenosine

> monophosphate (cyclic AMP). Cyclic AMP causes the pineal gland to

> produce melatonin.

>

> The researchers noted that the daily

> changes in gene activity observed in the study were controlled by the

> release of norepinephrine and the increase of cyclic AMP.

>

> " This

> is surprising, because we did not anticipate that the release of one

> molecule -- norepinephrine -- would be found to control the activity

> of

> hundreds of genes, " Dr. Klein said. " It appears that this one signal

> triggers a highly complex response that is necessary for normal

> rhythmic function of the pineal gland. "

>

> Dr. Klein added that

> he and his colleagues are planning future studies to discern both how

> the cells of the pineal gland are controlled and how they influence

> the

> genes controlling other cellular functions.

>

> " We have a long

> way to go before we can fully understand the role of the pineal gland

> and what makes it tick, " Dr. Klein said. " I suspect that the pineal

> gland plays a much broader role in human health than anyone has ever

> imagined. "

>

> This research was funded by the Intramural Research

> Program of the NICHD; the Center for Information Technology; The

> Wellcome Trust; the Biological Sciences Research Council; the

> Lundbeck Foundation; the Danish Medical Research Council; the Novo

> Nordisk Foundation; the Carlsberg Foundation; the Fonden til

> Lægevidenskabens Fremme; the Simon Fougner Hartmanns Familiefond; and

> Pennsylvania Commonwealth Health Research Formula Funds.

>

> The

> NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth;

> maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and

> population

> issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit the

> Institute's Web site at <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>.

>

> The

> National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research

> Agency -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the

> U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary

> federal

> agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational

> medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and

> cures

> for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and

> its programs, visit <www.nih.gov>.

>

> ##

>

> This NIH News Release is available online at:

> <http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2009/nichd-30.htm>.

>

> To (or ) from this list, go to

> <http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihpress & A=1>.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Well Zev then you will love it that there is a relative explanation for why the

Chinese were always correct in the thinking that at the root of all disease is

an emotional root! I can proove that correct and explan why western medicine,

especially in their thinking, will never unless perhaps by placebo, get their

way of thinking to work!

 

Today in the news a polypharmacy pill with statins and hypertension drugs all in

one........they can not POSSIBLY be treating each patient individually and that

is exactly what must be done to help them.

 

Sincerely, Patricia Jordan DVM,CVA,CTCVM & Herbology

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Medicine

zrosenbe

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:51:23 -0700

Re: Genes and body's 24-hour clock: NIH study

 

 

 

 

 

And that is the whole point! Chronobiology is one of the true

meeting points of the cutting edge of biomedicine and Chinese medical

theory, specifically wu yun liu qi xue shuo/five movements six qi

theory. This theory was first developed in the Su Wen, chapters

69-77. Paul Unschuld devotes a long appendix to the topic in his

Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen text. . .

 

 

On Mar 31, 2009, at 1:41 PM, Patricia Jordan wrote:

 

>

> Thanks for this! I wonder if they can now tie into this the 2 hour

> cycle of how the cerbrospinal fluid biochemistry changes back and

> forth (yin and yang) and is like the Chinese Clock........

>

> Sincerely, Patricia Jordan DVM,CVA,CTCVM & Herbology

>

>

>

>

>

> Chinese Traditional Medicine ;

 

> ; alumni

>

> Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:37:26 -0700

> Genes and body's 24-hour clock: NIH study

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi Everyone,

>

> I thought you might find this of interest.

>

> Andrea Beth

>

> Traditional Oriental Medicine

> Happy Hours in the CALM Center

> 635 S. 10th St.

> Cottonwood, AZ 86326

> (928) 274-1373

>

> U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

> NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News

> Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human

> Development (NICHD) <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>

> For Immediate Release: Monday, March 30, 2009

>

> CONTACTS: Robert Bock or Marianne Glass Miller, 301-496-5133, <e-

> mail: bockr

>

> GENE SCAN SHOWS BODY'S CLOCK INFLUENCES NUMEROUS PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS

> From Immunity to Thyroid Hormones, Pineal Gland Exerts Effects on

> 600 Genes

>

> The

> pineal gland -- integral to setting the body's sleep and wake cycles

> --

> may be involved in a broad range of bodily functions, according to a

> study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other

> institutions.

>

> Using a technology that scans for the activity of

> thousands of genes at a time, the researchers found that the activity

> of more than 600 genes in the pineal gland are synchronized in some

> way with the 24-hour sleep and wake cycle. The genes influence such

> diverse functions as inflammation and immunity.

>

> Researchers

> have traditionally studied the gland in hopes of gaining insight into

> the health problems of shift workers and people who frequently travel

> between time zones. The pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin,

> which regulates the cycle of sleep and waking.

>

> " The results

> of this study indicate that the pineal gland may be involved in a far

> greater range of physiological functions than we thought, " said Duane

> Alexander, M.D., director of NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National

> Institute of Child Health and Human Development, where much of the

> research took place. " An understanding of how the pineal gland

> interacts with the genes that the researchers identified could provide

> insight into a broad range of disorders and conditions. "

>

> The

> study appears in the March 20, 2009 issue of The Journal of Biological

> Chemistry. The study's first author was Michael J. Bailey, of the

> NICHD Section on Neuroendocrinology. Other authors of the paper were

> from the NIH Center for Information Technology, NIH's National

> Institute of Mental Health, Cardiff University, Wales, the University

> of Copenhagen, Denmark, King's College of London, England, and The

> Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego,

> Calif.

>

> The pineal gland is located within the brain, explained

> the study's senior author, David Klein, Ph.D., Chief of the Section on

> Neuroendocrinology. To conduct the study, Dr. Klein and his

> colleagues

> analyzed rodent pineal glands with a gene chip, a device that can

> analyze the activity of thousands of genes at a time. The researchers

> found that the activity of 604 genes changed on a 24-hour schedule,

> more than has been reported to occur in any other tissue.

>

> The

> researchers discovered that these genes increase their activity from

> 2-

> to 100-fold during a 24-hour cycle. About 70 percent of the genes

> were found to increase activity at night, the remaining 30 percent

> during the day. The genes are involved in a variety of functions, and

> govern such processes as:

>

> -- inflammation (swelling)

> -- the immune response

> -- cell adhesion (how cells bind, or join together)

> -- the cell cycle (the reproduction and death of cells)

> -- the cytoskeleton (the inner structural material of cells)

> -- calcium metabolism

> -- cholesterol production

> -- endothelial tissue (the tissue that lines many of the -- body's

> organs and structures)

> -- transcription (the process by which DNA sequences are --

> eventually converted through RNA into proteins)

> -- effects of the thyroid gland on the pineal gland

> -- cell signaling (the process through which hormones and -- other

> factors control cells)

> -- copper and zinc biology

>

> " We

> were really surprised by what we found, " Dr. Klein said. " We did not

> expect to find 24-hour rhythms in the functioning of so many genes. "

>

> Dr.

> Klein said that, as he and his coworkers expected, many of the genes

> active in the pineal gland are also active in the retina of the eye.

> The study authors cited this finding as highly compelling evidence

> that

> the pineal gland and the retina evolved from the same primitive light

> detecting structure. An earlier study on this possible evolutionary

> relationship is available at:

<http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/pinealgland.cfm

> >.

>

> The

> pineal gland is controlled by a brain structure known as the

> suprachiasmic nucleus, located at the base of the brain, Dr. Klein

> said. The suprachiasmatic nucleus is known as The Mind's Clock,

> because it coordinates body rhythms in response to changes in lighting

> that are detected by the eyes. The suprachiasmatic nucleus is

> connected to the pineal gland by nerve cells. At night, a brain

> chemical called norepinephrine, which transmits information through

> nerve cell networks, is released in the pineal gland.

> Norepinephrine, in turn, stimulates the production of another compound

> within the cells of the pineal gland, known as cyclic adenosine

> monophosphate (cyclic AMP). Cyclic AMP causes the pineal gland to

> produce melatonin.

>

> The researchers noted that the daily

> changes in gene activity observed in the study were controlled by the

> release of norepinephrine and the increase of cyclic AMP.

>

> " This

> is surprising, because we did not anticipate that the release of one

> molecule -- norepinephrine -- would be found to control the activity

> of

> hundreds of genes, " Dr. Klein said. " It appears that this one signal

> triggers a highly complex response that is necessary for normal

> rhythmic function of the pineal gland. "

>

> Dr. Klein added that

> he and his colleagues are planning future studies to discern both how

> the cells of the pineal gland are controlled and how they influence

> the

> genes controlling other cellular functions.

>

> " We have a long

> way to go before we can fully understand the role of the pineal gland

> and what makes it tick, " Dr. Klein said. " I suspect that the pineal

> gland plays a much broader role in human health than anyone has ever

> imagined. "

>

> This research was funded by the Intramural Research

> Program of the NICHD; the Center for Information Technology; The

> Wellcome Trust; the Biological Sciences Research Council; the

> Lundbeck Foundation; the Danish Medical Research Council; the Novo

> Nordisk Foundation; the Carlsberg Foundation; the Fonden til

> Lægevidenskabens Fremme; the Simon Fougner Hartmanns Familiefond; and

> Pennsylvania Commonwealth Health Research Formula Funds.

>

> The

> NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth;

> maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and

> population

> issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit the

> Institute's Web site at <http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>.

>

> The

> National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research

> Agency -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the

> U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary

> federal

> agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational

> medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and

> cures

> for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and

> its programs, visit <www.nih.gov>.

>

> ##

>

> This NIH News Release is available online at:

> <http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2009/nichd-30.htm>.

>

> To (or ) from this list, go to

> <http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihpress & A=1>.

>

>