Expression of mPer1 and mPer2, two mammalian clock genes, in murine bone marrow

Although circadian variations in hematopoiesis have been well documented, the molecular mechanism of the circadian rhythms remains elusive. To determine if a clock system exists in bone marrow to mediate the circadian rhythms, we analyzed the expression of mPer1 and mPer2, both mouse homologues of the Drosophila period gene and known regulators of the clock system, in murine bone marrow by relative quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We demonstrated that both genes were expressed in bone marrow. Furthermore, the expression patterns of mPer1 and mPer2 in total bone marrow cells exhibited two peaks over a 24-h period. In contrast, the expression patterns of these two genes in the Gr-1-positive cells isolated from bone marrow mainly contributed to one of the two peaks. These results indicate that a clock system exists in bone marrow and suggest that the circadian rhythms in bone marrow are lineage- and/or differentiation stage-dependent.