Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) Research Literature Database -- Query Results

Ikeno, T., Weil, Z. M., & Nelson, R. J. (2014). Dim light at night disrupts the short-day response in Siberian hamsters. Gen Comp Endocrinol, 197, 56–64. Abstract: Photoperiodic regulation of physiology, morphology, and behavior is crucial for many animals to survive seasonally variable conditions unfavorable for reproduction and survival. The photoperiodic response in mammals is mediated by nocturnal secretion of melatonin under the control of a circadian clock. However, artificial light at night caused by recent urbanization may disrupt the circadian clock, as well as the photoperiodic response by blunting melatonin secretion. Here we examined the effect of dim light at night (dLAN) (5lux of light during the dark phase) on locomotor activity rhythms and short-day regulation of reproduction, body mass, pelage properties, and immune responses of male Siberian hamsters. Short-day animals reduced gonadal and body mass, decreased spermatid nuclei and sperm numbers, molted to a whiter pelage, and increased pelage density compared to long-day animals. However, animals that experienced short days with dLAN did not show these short-day responses. Moreover, short-day specific immune responses were altered in dLAN conditions. The nocturnal activity pattern was blunted in dLAN hamsters, consistent with the observation that dLAN changed expression of the circadian clock gene, Period1. In addition, we demonstrated that expression levels of genes implicated in the photoperiodic response, Mel-1a melatonin receptor, Eyes absent 3, thyroid stimulating hormone receptor, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone, were higher in dLAN animals than those in short-day animals. These results suggest that dLAN disturbs the circadian clock function and affects the molecular mechanisms of the photoperiodic response. Keywords: 2,4-dinitro-1-flourobenzene; Dnfb; Dth; Eya3; Eyes absent 3; GnIH; GnRH; Immune function; Ld; Lps; Light pollution; Pt; Pelage; Per1; Period1; Photoperiodism; Rfrp; RFamide-related peptide; Scn; Sd; Seasonality; Tsh; TSH receptor; Tshr; dLAN; delayed-type hypersensitivity; dim light at night; gonadotropin-inhibiting hormone; gonadotropin-releasing hormone; lipopolysaccharide; long days; pars tuberalis; short days; suprachiasmatic nuclei; thyroid-stimulating hormone http://alandb.darksky.org/show.php?record=82
Miler, M., Sosic-Jurjevic, B., Nestorovic, N., Ristic, N., Medigovic, I., Savin, S., et al. (2014). Morphological and functional changes in pituitary-thyroid axis following prolonged exposure of female rats to constant light. J Morphol, 275(10), 1161–1172. Abstract: Light regulates numerous physiological functions and synchronizes them with the environment, in part by adjusting secretion of different hormones. We hypothesized that constant light (CL) would disturb pituitary-thyroid axis. Our aim was to determine morphological and functional changes in this endocrine system in such extreme conditions and, based on the obtained results, to propose the underlying mechanism(s). Starting from the thirtieth postnatal day, female Wistar rats were exposed to CL (600 lx) for the following 95 days. The controls were maintained under the regular laboratory lighting conditions. After decapitation, pituitaries and thyroids were prepared for further histomorphometric, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescence examinations. Concentration of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total T4 and T3 (TH) were determined. Thyroid tissue of light-treated rats was characterized by microfollicular structure. We detected no change in total thyroid volume, localization and accumulation of thyroglobulin, thyroid peroxidase, and sodium-iodide symporter in the follicular epithelium of CL rats. The volume of follicular epithelium and activation index were increased, while volume of the colloid and serum levels of TH decreased. In the pituitary, the relative intensity of TSH beta-immunofluorescence signal within the cytoplasm of thyrotrophs increased, but their average cell volume and the relative volume density decreased. Serum TSH was unaltered. We conclude that exposure of female rats to CL induced alterations in pituitary-thyroid axis. Thyroid tissue was characterized by microfollicular structure. Serum TH levels were reduced without accompanying increase in serum TSH. We hypothesize that increased secretion and clearance of TH together with unchanged or even decreased hormonal synthesis, resulted in decreased serum TH levels in CL group. We assume this decrease consequently led to increased synthesis and/or accumulation of pituitary TSH. However, decreased average TSH cell volume and relative volume density, together with unchanged serum TSH, point to additional, negative regulation of thyrotrophs. J. Morphol., 2014. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Keywords: TSH cells; constant light; immunohistochemistry; pituitary; rat; thyroid; light exposure http://alandb.darksky.org/show.php?record=304
Ouyang, J. Q., Davies, S., & Dominoni, D. (2018). Hormonally mediated effects of artificial light at night on behavior and fitness: linking endocrine mechanisms with function. J Exp Biol, 221(Pt 6). Abstract: Alternation between day and night is a predictable environmental fluctuation that organisms use to time their activities. Since the invention of artificial lighting, this predictability has been disrupted and continues to change in a unidirectional fashion with increasing urbanization. As hormones mediate individual responses to changing environments, endocrine systems might be one of the first systems affected, as well as being the first line of defense to ameliorate any negative health impacts. In this Review, we first highlight how light can influence endocrine function in vertebrates. We then focus on four endocrine axes that might be affected by artificial light at night (ALAN): pineal, reproductive, adrenal and thyroid. Throughout, we highlight key findings, rather than performing an exhaustive review, in order to emphasize knowledge gaps that are hindering progress on proposing impactful and concrete plans to ameliorate the negative effects of ALAN. We discuss these findings with respect to impacts on human and animal health, with a focus on the consequences of anthropogenic modification of the night-time environment for non-human organisms. Lastly, we stress the need for the integration of field and lab experiments as well as the need for long-term integrative eco-physiological studies in the rapidly expanding field of light pollution. Keywords: Human Health; Alan; Glucocorticoid; Hormones; Light pollution; Melatonin; Metabolism; Sleep; Stress; Thyroid; Urban ecology http://alandb.darksky.org/show.php?record=1817

Ikeno, T., Weil, Z. M., & Nelson, R. J. (2014). Dim light at night disrupts the short-day response in Siberian hamsters. Gen Comp Endocrinol, 197, 56–64.

Abstract: Photoperiodic regulation of physiology, morphology, and behavior is crucial for many animals to survive seasonally variable conditions unfavorable for reproduction and survival. The photoperiodic response in mammals is mediated by nocturnal secretion of melatonin under the control of a circadian clock. However, artificial light at night caused by recent urbanization may disrupt the circadian clock, as well as the photoperiodic response by blunting melatonin secretion. Here we examined the effect of dim light at night (dLAN) (5lux of light during the dark phase) on locomotor activity rhythms and short-day regulation of reproduction, body mass, pelage properties, and immune responses of male Siberian hamsters. Short-day animals reduced gonadal and body mass, decreased spermatid nuclei and sperm numbers, molted to a whiter pelage, and increased pelage density compared to long-day animals. However, animals that experienced short days with dLAN did not show these short-day responses. Moreover, short-day specific immune responses were altered in dLAN conditions. The nocturnal activity pattern was blunted in dLAN hamsters, consistent with the observation that dLAN changed expression of the circadian clock gene, Period1. In addition, we demonstrated that expression levels of genes implicated in the photoperiodic response, Mel-1a melatonin receptor, Eyes absent 3, thyroid stimulating hormone receptor, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone, were higher in dLAN animals than those in short-day animals. These results suggest that dLAN disturbs the circadian clock function and affects the molecular mechanisms of the photoperiodic response.

http://alandb.darksky.org/show.php?record=82

Miler, M., Sosic-Jurjevic, B., Nestorovic, N., Ristic, N., Medigovic, I., Savin, S., et al. (2014). Morphological and functional changes in pituitary-thyroid axis following prolonged exposure of female rats to constant light. J Morphol, 275(10), 1161–1172.

Abstract: Light regulates numerous physiological functions and synchronizes them with the environment, in part by adjusting secretion of different hormones. We hypothesized that constant light (CL) would disturb pituitary-thyroid axis. Our aim was to determine morphological and functional changes in this endocrine system in such extreme conditions and, based on the obtained results, to propose the underlying mechanism(s). Starting from the thirtieth postnatal day, female Wistar rats were exposed to CL (600 lx) for the following 95 days. The controls were maintained under the regular laboratory lighting conditions. After decapitation, pituitaries and thyroids were prepared for further histomorphometric, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescence examinations. Concentration of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total T4 and T3 (TH) were determined. Thyroid tissue of light-treated rats was characterized by microfollicular structure. We detected no change in total thyroid volume, localization and accumulation of thyroglobulin, thyroid peroxidase, and sodium-iodide symporter in the follicular epithelium of CL rats. The volume of follicular epithelium and activation index were increased, while volume of the colloid and serum levels of TH decreased. In the pituitary, the relative intensity of TSH beta-immunofluorescence signal within the cytoplasm of thyrotrophs increased, but their average cell volume and the relative volume density decreased. Serum TSH was unaltered. We conclude that exposure of female rats to CL induced alterations in pituitary-thyroid axis. Thyroid tissue was characterized by microfollicular structure. Serum TH levels were reduced without accompanying increase in serum TSH. We hypothesize that increased secretion and clearance of TH together with unchanged or even decreased hormonal synthesis, resulted in decreased serum TH levels in CL group. We assume this decrease consequently led to increased synthesis and/or accumulation of pituitary TSH. However, decreased average TSH cell volume and relative volume density, together with unchanged serum TSH, point to additional, negative regulation of thyrotrophs. J. Morphol., 2014. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Keywords: TSH cells; constant light; immunohistochemistry; pituitary; rat; thyroid; light exposure

http://alandb.darksky.org/show.php?record=304

Ouyang, J. Q., Davies, S., & Dominoni, D. (2018). Hormonally mediated effects of artificial light at night on behavior and fitness: linking endocrine mechanisms with function. J Exp Biol, 221(Pt 6).