Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
06:50
The Use of Mouse Splenocytes to Assess Pathogen-associated Molecular Pattern Influence on Clock Gene Expression
Published on: July 24, 2018
Crosstalk between the circadian clock circuitry and the immune system
Nicolas Cermakian1, Tanja Lange, Diego Golombek
1Laboratory of Molecular Chronobiology, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Chronobiology International
|May 24, 2013
Summary
The immune system exhibits daily variations influenced by circadian rhythms, affecting cell counts and responses. Disruptions to these biological clocks can worsen diseases like cancer and autoimmune conditions.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Chronobiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- The immune system displays daily fluctuations in cell counts and cytokine levels, linked to the sleep-wake cycle.
- Immune cells like macrophages, NK cells, and lymphocytes possess intrinsic circadian molecular clocks.
- The suprachiasmatic nucleus, the body's central pacemaker, influences immune cell function via neural and humoral pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the intricate relationship between circadian rhythms and immune system function.
- To explore the bidirectional communication between the circadian and immune systems.
- To highlight the implications of this crosstalk for disease pathogenesis and progression.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on circadian rhythms and immunology.
- Analysis of studies investigating molecular clockwork in immune cells and organs.
- Examination of research on the impact of circadian disruption on immune responses and disease.
Main Results:
- Circadian clocks within immune cells and organs regulate immune cell responses and effector functions.
- Daily variations exist in immune responses to challenges like endotoxin injection and in allergic reactions.
- Immune challenges and cytokines can significantly alter molecular, cellular, and behavioral circadian rhythms.
Conclusions:
- The circadian and immune systems are tightly interconnected, with a bidirectional influence.
- Circadian disruption is associated with increased cancer incidence and exacerbated autoimmune symptoms.
- Understanding the circadian-immune crosstalk is crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:19Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent years,...
02:19Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent years,...
02:45Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses
The circadian—or biological—clock is an intrinsic, timekeeping, molecular mechanism that allows plants to coordinate physiological activities over 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Photoperiodism is a collective term for the biological responses of plants to variations in the relative lengths of dark and light periods. The period of light-exposure is called the photoperiod.
01:28Inflammatory Response
An inflammatory response is a localized, nonspecific immune reaction that occurs when a tissue is injured. It is characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain, which are commonly called the cardinal signs and symptoms of inflammation. Inflammation can sometimes result in a loss of function.
Inflammation can be triggered by various stimuli, such as impact, abrasion, chemical irritation, infections, and extreme hot or cold temperatures. These can damage cells and connective tissue fibers,...
Inflammation can be triggered by various stimuli, such as impact, abrasion, chemical irritation, infections, and extreme hot or cold temperatures. These can damage cells and connective tissue fibers,...
01:40Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Overview
01:19Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...