Estrogens prevent metabolic dysfunctions induced by circadian disruptions in female mice

L Zhu, F Zou, Y Yang, P Xu, K Saito… - …, 2015 - academic.oup.com
L Zhu, F Zou, Y Yang, P Xu, K Saito, A Othrell Hinton Jr, X Yan, H Ding, Q Wu, M Fukuda
Endocrinology, 2015academic.oup.com
Circadian disruption has become a significant factor contributing to the epidemics of obesity
and insulin resistance. However, interventions to treat metabolic dysfunctions induced by
circadian disruptions are limited. The ovarian hormone, estrogen, produces important
antiobesity and antidiabetic effects in female animals and has profound effects on daily
behavioral rhythms. Here, we show that in female mice depleted with endogenous
estrogens, a jet-lag paradigm induced visceral fat accumulation and systemic insulin …
Abstract
Circadian disruption has become a significant factor contributing to the epidemics of obesity and insulin resistance. However, interventions to treat metabolic dysfunctions induced by circadian disruptions are limited. The ovarian hormone, estrogen, produces important antiobesity and antidiabetic effects in female animals and has profound effects on daily behavioral rhythms. Here, we show that in female mice depleted with endogenous estrogens, a jet-lag paradigm induced visceral fat accumulation and systemic insulin resistance, which were associated with altered expression of multiple circadian genes in the visceral fat depot. Interestingly, all these jet-lag-induced deficits were completely rescued in female mice supplemented with exogenous estrogens. We further examined 24-hour oscillations of circadian genes in adipose tissues in female mice with estrogen depletion or replacement and showed that expression levels of the circadian gene, period circadian protein homolog 2, oscillate in visceral adipose tissue in an estrogen-dependent manner. Together, our results indicate that estrogens interact with the intrinsic circadian clock in adipose tissue and prevent abnormal lipid accumulation caused by circadian disruptions.
Oxford University Press