Circadian Disruption and Metabolic Disorders

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2020) | Viewed by 33714

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition (EDIN), IREC Institute, Faculty of Medicine, B1.55.06, University of Louvain (UCLouvain), Avenue Hippocrate, 55, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
Interests: signal transduction; gene expression; circadian clock; obesity; metabolic syndrome

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Combined human and genetic studies have shown that disturbed sleep and circadian rhythms are associated with metabolic disease. The cellular circadian clock is unique in generating daily rhythms of sleep, feeding, and metabolism in synchrony with the environmental light cycle, thereby playing a critical role in human health.

The misalignment between central and peripheral clock systems, which is a result of mistimed feeding caused by high-fat diet, shiftwork, jet-lag, and sleep curtailment, contributes to the pathobiology linking circadian and sleep disorders with metabolic disease. In light of these observations, the circadian clock is likely to have important implications for the development of specific preventive, diagnostic, prognostic, and powerful therapeutic strategies toward a number of pathologies. Indeed, while still in its infancy, emerging evidence indicates that targeting circadian biology through the appropriate timing of light exposure, food intake, exercise, and sleep can lead to improved metabolic fitness and positively impact health. The increased discovery and use of circadian biomarkers and their accuracy in measuring internal circadian body time will undoubtedly lead to novel and personalized treatments for healthcare according to the individual’s circadian clock in the future.

This Special Issue invites original research articles and reviews that cover all aspects of the field, with the aim to improve our understanding of how disruption of the clocks promotes metabolic disorders. We are particularly interested in fundamental investigations using experimental animal models as well as translational studies. Moreover, this Special Issue welcomes the submission of manuscripts focusing on circadian biomarkers of interest for the diagnosis, the prediction of the severity, but also on the therapy and benefits from timed interventions for metabolic disorders.

Dr. Eléonore Maury
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • circadian clock
  • clock genes
  • rhythmic transcriptomic, proteomics and metabolomics, epigenetics
  • circadian disruption, circadian misalignment
  • metabolism, metabolic disease
  • chrononutrition, time-restricted eating, chronopharmacology, chronomedicine

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 3162 KiB  
Article
PER2 Circadian Oscillation Sensitizes Esophageal Cancer Cells to Chemotherapy
by Juan Alfonso Redondo, Romain Bibes, Alizée Vercauteren Drubbel, Benjamin Dassy, Xavier Bisteau, Eleonore Maury and Benjamin Beck
Biology 2021, 10(4), 266; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10040266 - 26 Mar 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4066
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (eSCC) accounts for more than 85% cases of esophageal cancer worldwide and the 5-year survival rate associated with metastatic eSCC is poor. This low survival rate is the consequence of a complex mechanism of resistance to therapy and tumor [...] Read more.
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (eSCC) accounts for more than 85% cases of esophageal cancer worldwide and the 5-year survival rate associated with metastatic eSCC is poor. This low survival rate is the consequence of a complex mechanism of resistance to therapy and tumor relapse. To effectively reduce the mortality rate of this disease, we need to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of resistance to therapy and translate that knowledge into novel approaches for cancer treatment. The circadian clock orchestrates several physiological processes through the establishment and synchronization of circadian rhythms. Since cancer cells need to fuel rapid proliferation and increased metabolic demands, the escape from circadian rhythm is relevant in tumorigenesis. Although clock related genes may be globally repressed in human eSCC samples, PER2 expression still oscillates in some human eSCC cell lines. However, the consequences of this circadian rhythm are still unclear. In the present study, we confirm that PER2 oscillations still occur in human cancer cells in vitro in spite of a deregulated circadian clock gene expression. Profiling of eSCC cells by RNAseq reveals that when PER2 expression is low, several transcripts related to apoptosis are upregulated. Consistently, treating eSCC cells with cisplatin when PER2 expression is low enhances DNA damage and leads to a higher apoptosis rate. Interestingly, this process is conserved in a mouse model of chemically-induced eSCC ex vivo. These results therefore suggest that response to therapy might be enhanced in esophageal cancers using chronotherapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circadian Disruption and Metabolic Disorders)
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13 pages, 1231 KiB  
Article
Circadian Misalignment Induced by Chronic Night Shift Work Promotes Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Activation Impacting Directly on Human Metabolism
by Rafael Ferraz-Bannitz, Rebeca A. Beraldo, Priscila Oliveira Coelho, Ayrton C. Moreira, Margaret Castro and Maria Cristina Foss-Freitas
Biology 2021, 10(3), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10030197 - 5 Mar 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5736
Abstract
Night work has become necessary in our modern society. However, sleep deprivation induces a circadian misalignment that effectively contributes to the development of diseases associated with metabolic syndrome, such as obesity and diabetes. Here, we evaluated the pattern of circadian clock genes and [...] Read more.
Night work has become necessary in our modern society. However, sleep deprivation induces a circadian misalignment that effectively contributes to the development of diseases associated with metabolic syndrome, such as obesity and diabetes. Here, we evaluated the pattern of circadian clock genes and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) genes in addition to metabolic and anthropometric measures in subjects that work during a nocturnal period compared with day workers. We study 20 night workers (NW) and 20 day workers (DW) submitted to a work schedule of 12 h of work for 36 h of rest for at least 5 years in a hospital. The present report shows that NW have increased fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels, and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels compared to DW. In addition, we observed that waist circumference (WC), waist–hip ratio (WHR), and systemic blood pressure are also increased in NW. Interestingly, gene expression analysis showed changes in CLOCK gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) samples of NW compared to the DW, evidencing a peripheral circadian misalignment. This metabolic adaptation was accompanied by the up-regulation of many genes of ERS in NW. These findings support the hypothesis that night shift work results in disturbed glycemic and lipid control and affects the circadian cycle through the deregulation of peripheral CLOCK genes, which is possibly due to the activation of ERS. Thus, night work induces important metabolic changes that increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circadian Disruption and Metabolic Disorders)
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Review

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15 pages, 1923 KiB  
Review
Circadian Misalignment and Metabolic Disorders: A Story of Twisted Clocks
by Aurore Woller and Didier Gonze
Biology 2021, 10(3), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10030207 - 10 Mar 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3970
Abstract
Biological clocks are cell-autonomous oscillators that can be entrained by periodic environmental cues. This allows organisms to anticipate predictable daily environmental changes and, thereby, to partition physiological processes into appropriate phases with respect to these changing external conditions. Nowadays our 24/7 society challenges [...] Read more.
Biological clocks are cell-autonomous oscillators that can be entrained by periodic environmental cues. This allows organisms to anticipate predictable daily environmental changes and, thereby, to partition physiological processes into appropriate phases with respect to these changing external conditions. Nowadays our 24/7 society challenges this delicate equilibrium. Indeed, many studies suggest that perturbations such as chronic jet lag, ill-timed eating patterns, or shift work increase the susceptibility to cardiometabolic disorders, diabetes, and cancers. However the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. A deeper understanding of this complex, dynamic system requires a global holistic approach for which mathematical modeling can be highly beneficial. In this review, we summarize several experimental works pertaining to the effect of adverse conditions on clock gene expression and on physiology, and we show how computational models can bring interesting insights into the links between circadian misalignment and metabolic diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circadian Disruption and Metabolic Disorders)
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16 pages, 1683 KiB  
Review
A Tangled Threesome: Circadian Rhythm, Body Temperature Variations, and the Immune System
by Benjamin Coiffard, Aïssatou Bailo Diallo, Soraya Mezouar, Marc Leone and Jean-Louis Mege
Biology 2021, 10(1), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10010065 - 18 Jan 2021
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 15082
Abstract
The circadian rhythm of the body temperature (CRBT) is a marker of the central biological clock that results from multiple complex biological processes. In mammals, including humans, the body temperature displays a strict circadian rhythm and has to be maintained within a narrow [...] Read more.
The circadian rhythm of the body temperature (CRBT) is a marker of the central biological clock that results from multiple complex biological processes. In mammals, including humans, the body temperature displays a strict circadian rhythm and has to be maintained within a narrow range to allow optimal physiological functions. There is nowadays growing evidence on the role of the temperature circadian rhythm on the expression of the molecular clock. The CRBT likely participates in the phase coordination of circadian timekeepers in peripheral tissues, thus guaranteeing the proper functioning of the immune system. The disruption of the CRBT, such as fever, has been repeatedly described in diseases and likely reflects a physiological process to activate the molecular clock and trigger the immune response. On the other hand, temperature circadian disruption has also been described as associated with disease severity and thus may mirror or contribute to immune dysfunction. The present review aims to characterize the potential implication of the temperature circadian rhythm on the immune response, from molecular pathways to diseases. The origin of CRBT and physiological changes in body temperature will be mentioned. We further review the immune biological effects of temperature rhythmicity in hosts, vectors, and pathogens. Finally, we discuss the relationship between circadian disruption of the body temperature and diseases and highlight the emerging evidence that CRBT monitoring would be an easy tool to predict outcomes and guide future studies in chronotherapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circadian Disruption and Metabolic Disorders)
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23 pages, 1309 KiB  
Review
Mediators of Host–Microbe Circadian Rhythms in Immunity and Metabolism
by Katya Frazier, Mary Frith, Dylan Harris and Vanessa A. Leone
Biology 2020, 9(12), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology9120417 - 25 Nov 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3655
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are essential for nearly all life forms, mediated by a core molecular gene network that drives downstream molecular processes involved in immune function and metabolic regulation. These biological rhythms serve as the body’s metronome in response to the 24-h light:dark cycle [...] Read more.
Circadian rhythms are essential for nearly all life forms, mediated by a core molecular gene network that drives downstream molecular processes involved in immune function and metabolic regulation. These biological rhythms serve as the body’s metronome in response to the 24-h light:dark cycle and other timed stimuli. Disrupted circadian rhythms due to drastic lifestyle and environmental shifts appear to contribute to the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases, although the mechanisms remain elusive. Gut microbiota membership and function are also key mediators of metabolism and are highly sensitive to environmental perturbations. Recent evidence suggests rhythmicity of gut microbes is essential for host metabolic health. The key molecular mediators that transmit rhythmic signals between microbes and host metabolic networks remain unclear, but studies suggest the host immune system may serve as a conduit between these two systems, providing homeostatic signals to maintain overall metabolic health. Despite this knowledge, the precise mechanism and communication modalities that drive these rhythms remain unclear, especially in humans. Here, we review the current literature examining circadian dynamics of gut microbes, the immune system, and metabolism in the context of metabolic dysregulation and provide insights into gaps and challenges that remain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circadian Disruption and Metabolic Disorders)
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