Haeme oxygenase protects against UV light DNA damages in the retina in clock-dependent manner

In the present study, we showed that in the retina of Drosophila, the expression of the ho gene, encoding haeme oxygenase (HO), is regulated by light but only at the beginning of the day. This timing must be set by the circadian clock as light pulses applied at other time points during the day do not increase the ho mRNA level. Moreover, light-induced activation of HO does not depend on the canonical phototransduction pathway but instead involves cryptochrome and is enhanced by ultraviolet (UV) light. Interestingly, the level of DNA damage in the retina after UV exposure was inversely related to the circadian oscillation of the ho mRNA level during the night, being the highest when the HO level was low and reversed during the day. Accordingly, induction of HO by hemin was associated with low DNA damage, while inhibition of HO activity by SnPPIX aggravated the damage. Our data suggest that HO acts in the retina to decrease oxidative DNA damage in photoreceptors caused by UV-rich light in the morning.