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Circadian rhythms in cardiac gene expression

Martin E Young1

  • 1Institute of Molecular Medicine, Research Center for Cell Signaling, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX 77030, USA. Martin.E.Young@uth.tmc.edu

Current Hypertension Reports
|November 5, 2003
PubMed

Insights

The heart has internal daily rhythms affecting its function, influenced by both external factors and internal biological clocks. Disruptions to these cardiac circadian clocks may play a role in cardiovascular disease development.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Chronobiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, show a distinct daily pattern, peaking in the early morning.
  • Circadian rhythmicity in cardiovascular function is traditionally linked to neurohumoral factors like sympathetic activity.
  • Emerging evidence suggests intrinsic cardiac properties, including gene expression and contractile function, also exhibit daily fluctuations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of the heart's intrinsic circadian clock in regulating cardiovascular physiology.
  • To investigate the potential contribution of impaired cardiac circadian mechanisms to cardiovascular disease pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of gene and protein expression patterns within the heart over a 24-hour period.
  • Assessment of daily variations in cardiac energy metabolism and contractile function.
  • Investigation of extracardiac (neurohumoral) and intracardiac (circadian clock) influences on cardiac rhythmicity.

Main Results:

  • Significant daily fluctuations in cardiac gene/protein expression, metabolism, and function were observed.
  • Evidence supports both external (neurohumoral) and internal (cardiac circadian clock) regulation of these daily heart changes.
  • Circadian clocks act as molecular mechanisms enabling the heart to anticipate environmental changes.

Conclusions:

  • The heart possesses an intrinsic circadian clock that synchronizes its response to daily environmental variations.
  • Impairment of the cardiac circadian clock mechanism may be a contributing factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases.
  • Understanding cardiac circadian biology offers new avenues for cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.

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