Transcriptional control of antioxidant defense by the circadian clock

The circadian clock, an internal timekeeping system, is implicated in the regulation of metabolism and physiology, and circadian dysfunctions are associated with pathological changes in model organisms and increased risk of some diseases in humans.

Data obtained in different organisms, including humans, have established a tight connection between the clock and cellular redox signaling making it among the major candidates for a link between the circadian system and physiological processes.

In spite of the recent progress in understanding the importance of the circadian clock in the regulation of reactive oxygen species homeostasis, molecular mechanisms and key regulators are mostly unknown.

Here we review, with an emphasis on transcriptional control, the circadian-clock-dependent control of oxidative stress response system as a potential mechanism in age-associated diseases. We will discuss the roles of the core clock components such as brain and muscle ARNT-like 1, Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput, the circadian-clock-controlled transcriptional factors such as nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and circadian clock control chromatin modifying enzymes from sirtuin family in the regulation of cellular and organism antioxidant defense.