Meal Timing Entrains Circadian Rhythms in the Dorsal Vagal Complex, a Brainstem Satiety Centre
Researchers have identified food-entrained circadian rhythms in the dorsal vagal complex, a brainstem satiety centre. The study found that meal timing regulates the phase of both clock and clock-controlled gene expressio
The dorsal vagal complex (DVC) is a multi-component brainstem satiety centre that has gained attention as a key target of anti-obesity pharmacotherapies. Recent studies have revealed its circadian timekeeping properties, with molecular and electrophysiological rhythms persisting independently of the primary hypothalamic clock. However, the factors entraining these brainstem oscillators and the downstream transcriptional targets of the DVC molecular clock remain unclear. In this study, researchers used PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE reporter mice to investigate the effects of meal timing on circadian rhythms in the caudal DVC. They found that core clock gene expression exhibited 24-hour rhythms both ex vivo and in vivo. Furthermore, fluorescent in situ hybridisation revealed rhythmic expression of numerous neurotransmitter receptor genes in the DVC in vivo, with the phase of both clock and clock-controlled gene expression tightly regulated by meal timing. These findings suggest that food-entrained circadian rhythms play a crucial role in regulating satiety mechanisms in the brainstem.