Light Pollution and Cancer
1
Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
2
Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology/Hematology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
3
West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(24), 9360; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21249360
Received: 24 November 2020 / Revised: 4 December 2020 / Accepted: 6 December 2020 / Published: 8 December 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research on Light's Effects on Animals and Humans)
For many individuals in industrialized nations, the widespread adoption of electric lighting has dramatically affected the circadian organization of physiology and behavior. Although initially assumed to be innocuous, exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) is associated with several disorders, including increased incidence of cancer, metabolic disorders, and mood disorders. Within this review, we present a brief overview of the molecular circadian clock system and the importance of maintaining fidelity to bright days and dark nights. We describe the interrelation between core clock genes and the cell cycle, as well as the contribution of clock genes to oncogenesis. Next, we review the clinical implications of disrupted circadian rhythms on cancer, followed by a section on the foundational science literature on the effects of light at night and cancer. Finally, we provide some strategies for mitigation of disrupted circadian rhythms to improve health.
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Keywords:
light at night; cancer; circadian rhythms; clock genes; cell cycle
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited
MDPI and ACS Style
Walker, W.H., II; Bumgarner, J.R.; Walton, J.C.; Liu, J.A.; Meléndez-Fernández, O.H.; Nelson, R.J.; DeVries, A.C. Light Pollution and Cancer. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 9360. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21249360
AMA Style
Walker WH II, Bumgarner JR, Walton JC, Liu JA, Meléndez-Fernández OH, Nelson RJ, DeVries AC. Light Pollution and Cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21(24):9360. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21249360
Chicago/Turabian StyleWalker, William H., II; Bumgarner, Jacob R.; Walton, James C.; Liu, Jennifer A.; Meléndez-Fernández, O. H.; Nelson, Randy J.; DeVries, A. C. 2020. "Light Pollution and Cancer" Int. J. Mol. Sci. 21, no. 24: 9360. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21249360
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