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Updated: Jan 17, 2026
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Monitoring Cell-autonomous Circadian Clock Rhythms of Gene Expression Using Luciferase Bioluminescence Reporters
Published on: September 27, 2012
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The liver clock modulates circadian rhythms in white adipose tissue
Ivan Vlassakev1, Christina Savva1, Gianluca Renzi2
1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, C3, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Medicine (H7), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 141 86, Sweden.
Molecular Metabolism
|September 14, 2025
Summary
The liver clock regulates circadian rhythms in white adipose tissue (WAT), influencing lipid metabolism and adipogenesis. This cross-tissue coordination highlights the core clock system as a therapeutic target for metabolic health.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolism
- Chronobiology
Background:
- Circadian rhythms are crucial for metabolic health, but cross-tissue coordination mechanisms are unclear.
- The liver's role in regulating peripheral circadian rhythms, particularly in white adipose tissue (WAT), requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the liver clock's role in regulating circadian rhythms and lipid metabolism in WAT.
- To identify mechanisms by which the liver clock coordinates WAT physiology.
Main Methods:
- Hepatocyte-specific Bmal1 knockout mouse model.
- Mouse model with functional clocks restricted to hepatocytes.
- Analysis of gene expression, lipid metabolism, and secreted proteins in WAT.
- Human cohort data analysis for cardiometabolic risk association.
Main Results:
- Hepatic circadian control modulates lipid metabolism and adipogenesis (Cebpa expression) in WAT.
- The liver clock alone integrates feeding cues to regulate WAT circadian gene expression.
- Secreted proteins, including 14-3-3η (Ywhah), mediate liver clock effects on WAT adipocytes.
- Human data links liver clock-controlled genes to cardiometabolic risk.
Conclusions:
- The liver clock plays a central role in coordinating circadian rhythms and metabolism in WAT.
- The liver-adipose tissue axis is a key component of systemic metabolic regulation.
- Targeting the core clock system offers potential therapeutic strategies for cardiometabolic diseases.
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