Artificial light at night accelerates aging processes in pre-pubertal female rats

Urbanization has introduced multiple factors that promote circadian clock dependent or independent disruption of physiology. Conditions such as late-night light (ALAN) exposure, shift working, cross-continental traveling may lead to circadian dysregulation leading to obesity, metabolic disorders and physiological alterations. As ALAN affects the circadian clock with concomitant effects on stress and free radical physiology, we hypothesised that night exposure to artificial light may affect the rate of aging. We have investigated this by exposing pre-pubertal female rats to 15 days of artificial light at night (ALAN). A direct effect of ALAN on physiology was evident by the significant increase in body weight of ALAN exposed group. Consequently, biomarkers of aging: nitric oxide (NO), lipid peroxidation in terms of Malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl levels (PCO) and plasma membrane redox system (PMRS) were found to be significantly elevated in blood plasma. Increase of these parameters are positive indicators that ALAN may induce accelerated aging even in young animals by affecting their redox biology. Also, tissue specific expression of genes (TNFα, LC3β, NSE and SIRT1) which are established molecular correlates of healthy aging, metabolic rate, autophagy and normal antioxidant physiology were compared between ALAN exposed and control animals. Tissue specific effect on expression of TNFα, LC3β, NSE and SIRT1 was found when exposed to ALAN. These results highlight the negative effects of altered circadian rhythm on young rats. Our findings may find relevance to humans too, especially the very young and adolescent population, who are exposed to ALAN due to present lifestyle.