Mice with targeted disruption of both IA-2 and IA-2 (double-knockout, or DKO mice) have numerous endocrine and physiological disruptions, including disruption of circadian and diurnal rhythms. In the present study, we have assessed the impact of disruption of IA-2 and IA-2 on molecular rhythms in the brain and peripheral oscillators. We used in situ hybridization to assess molecular rhythms in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of wild-type (WT) and DKO mice. The results indicate significant disruption of molecular rhythmicity in the SCN, which serves as the central pacemaker regulating circadian behavior. We also used quantitative PCR to assess gene expression rhythms in peripheral tissues of DKO, single-knockout, and WT mice. The results indicate significant attenuation of gene expression rhythms in several peripheral tissues of DKO mice but not in either single knockout. To distinguish whether this reduction in rhythmicity reflects defective oscillatory function in peripheral tissues or lack of entrainment of peripheral tissues, animals were injected with dexamethasone daily for 15 days, and then molecular rhythms were assessed throughout the day after discontinuation of injections. Dexamethasone injections improved gene expression rhythms in liver and heart of DKO mice. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that peripheral tissues of DKO mice have a functioning circadian clockwork, but rhythmicity is greatly reduced in the absence of robust, rhythmic physiological signals originating from the SCN. Thus, IA-2 and IA-2 play an important role in the regulation of circadian rhythms, likely through their participation in neurochemical communication among SCN neurons. circadian; suprachiasmatic nucleus; vasoactive intestinal peptide; Prprn; Ptprn2 INSULINOMA-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN 2 (IA-2; also called islet antigen 2, ICA 512, and Prprn) and IA-2 (also called phogrin and Ptprn2) are transmembrane proteins with homology to protein tyrosine phosphatase but which lack phosphatase activity (29,35,36; for review, see Ref. 51). IA-2 and IA-2 are components of dense core vesicle membranes and play important roles in vesicle loading and release (11,14,17,29,44,49). Targeted disruption of these genes in mice leads to impaired secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters, which are more severe in mice lacking functional alleles of both genes (16, 22, 24 -26, 42, 48). These proteins are also of interest at the clinical level, since the majority of newly diagnosed diabetic patients have antibodies against these proteins, and antibodies appear years before disease development, identifying them as major autoantigens predictive of type 1 diabetes (30,36,49).A recent study to assess the cardiovascular impact of targeted disruption of IA-2 and IA-2 revealed that mice lacking these proteins did not have daily rhythms in blood pressure, heart rate, core body temperature, or spontaneous locomotor activity (21). Electrophysiological studies on the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), the site of the brain's master cir...