Scientists have found the explanation of how the biological body clock corresponds to metabolism and aging related health problems. The finding was contributed by researchers at Washington university of Medicine in St. Louis and Northwestern University. They studied on mice and conclude the weakening of circadian rhythm with age could contribute to age related problems, such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Circadian rhythm is commonly known as our body clock. This rhythm is associated with certain hormone production, such as insulin and melatonin. Insulin is normally secreted peak at daytime in order to control the blood sugar level at proper range; whereas melatonin a hormone that controls circadian rhythm by telling the body it’s time to sleep, and its level is usually low during daytime and high at night. Early research has pinpoint that the interfering of melatonin can led to metabolic complications. The new research has linked a gene called SIRT 1 that controls circadian rhythm also plays a significant role in regulate the cellular energy flow.
An enzyme protein SIRT 1 controls the cellular regulation. It manages the body response to nutrition, when the cell energy levels are detected below normal, a signal coenzyme called NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is sent to a key protein NAMPT (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase) which activate the cell energy exchange system, and move the energy to where it is required. This mechanism balances aging and metabolism in our body. This finding suggests sleep and healthy diet may help or rebuilt this balance and prevent a range of health problems from diabetes to obesity.
Joe Bass an associated professor of neurobiology and physiology at Northwestern University and colleagues experimented on laboratory mice. These mice’s circadian rhythm was disrupted under controlled condition of light and dark (by placing them in complete darkness for 48 hours). And the results showed that in the control group NDA level changed which means the circadian rhythm continuously function even in complete darkness. However, in mutant animal the NAD level was not changed.
"Seeing this striking abnormality in the NAD levels was like discovering the cause of a disease in a patient after running a blood test," said Bass, "The pathway that controls NAD is tied to the clock at the most intricate level. This shows a direct connection -- changes in the clock influence NAD."
They have conclude that the NAD rhythm was linked to the body clock, and the clock genes SIRT1 directly interact with a biochemical process that produces NAD.
"Perturbing the NAD pathway does affect the clock," said Bass. "It does go in both directions."
Coenzyme NAD+ is required for enzyme SIRT 1 to function, suggesting that SIRT1 activity increased and decreased along with NAD oscillation in the mice. The researchers then determined the feedback cycle is driven by NAD.
“We showed that this feedback cycle is driven by NAD. Because NAD levels reflect nutrition and energy levels, NAD’s link to the circadian and aging mechanisms makes them sensitive to the nutritional status of the organism,” said one of the lead authors, Dr. Shin-ichiro Imai, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
In conclusion, new research has determined the level of SIRT 1 and NAD+ are closely associated, and this is how circadian rhythm related to metabolism. The finding of this relationship may lead innovative ways to treat aging metabolic disorders in the future.
“Our study establishes a detailed scheme linking metabolism and aging to the circadian rhythm. This opens the door to new avenues for treating age-related disorders and ways to restore a healthy daily circadian rhythm. It could also yield new interventions to alleviate metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes,” said Imai.
Main article:
http://silverscorpio.com/how-the-body-clock-controls-metabolism-and-ageing/
Same article published by different authors:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312140840.htm
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/03/19/compound.key.coordinator.clock.and.metabolism
http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=link-between-body-clock-and-metabol-2009-03-19
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081207133817.htm
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/12/07/body.clock.linked.diabetes.and.high.blood.sugar.new.study
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090325142513.htm
Circadian rhythm is commonly known as our body clock. This rhythm is associated with certain hormone production, such as insulin and melatonin. Insulin is normally secreted peak at daytime in order to control the blood sugar level at proper range; whereas melatonin a hormone that controls circadian rhythm by telling the body it’s time to sleep, and its level is usually low during daytime and high at night. Early research has pinpoint that the interfering of melatonin can led to metabolic complications. The new research has linked a gene called SIRT 1 that controls circadian rhythm also plays a significant role in regulate the cellular energy flow.
An enzyme protein SIRT 1 controls the cellular regulation. It manages the body response to nutrition, when the cell energy levels are detected below normal, a signal coenzyme called NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is sent to a key protein NAMPT (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase) which activate the cell energy exchange system, and move the energy to where it is required. This mechanism balances aging and metabolism in our body. This finding suggests sleep and healthy diet may help or rebuilt this balance and prevent a range of health problems from diabetes to obesity.
Joe Bass an associated professor of neurobiology and physiology at Northwestern University and colleagues experimented on laboratory mice. These mice’s circadian rhythm was disrupted under controlled condition of light and dark (by placing them in complete darkness for 48 hours). And the results showed that in the control group NDA level changed which means the circadian rhythm continuously function even in complete darkness. However, in mutant animal the NAD level was not changed.
"Seeing this striking abnormality in the NAD levels was like discovering the cause of a disease in a patient after running a blood test," said Bass, "The pathway that controls NAD is tied to the clock at the most intricate level. This shows a direct connection -- changes in the clock influence NAD."
They have conclude that the NAD rhythm was linked to the body clock, and the clock genes SIRT1 directly interact with a biochemical process that produces NAD.
"Perturbing the NAD pathway does affect the clock," said Bass. "It does go in both directions."
Coenzyme NAD+ is required for enzyme SIRT 1 to function, suggesting that SIRT1 activity increased and decreased along with NAD oscillation in the mice. The researchers then determined the feedback cycle is driven by NAD.
“We showed that this feedback cycle is driven by NAD. Because NAD levels reflect nutrition and energy levels, NAD’s link to the circadian and aging mechanisms makes them sensitive to the nutritional status of the organism,” said one of the lead authors, Dr. Shin-ichiro Imai, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
In conclusion, new research has determined the level of SIRT 1 and NAD+ are closely associated, and this is how circadian rhythm related to metabolism. The finding of this relationship may lead innovative ways to treat aging metabolic disorders in the future.
“Our study establishes a detailed scheme linking metabolism and aging to the circadian rhythm. This opens the door to new avenues for treating age-related disorders and ways to restore a healthy daily circadian rhythm. It could also yield new interventions to alleviate metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes,” said Imai.
Main article:
http://silverscorpio.com/how-the-body-clock-controls-metabolism-and-ageing/
Same article published by different authors:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312140840.htm
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/03/19/compound.key.coordinator.clock.and.metabolism
http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=link-between-body-clock-and-metabol-2009-03-19
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081207133817.htm
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/12/07/body.clock.linked.diabetes.and.high.blood.sugar.new.study
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090325142513.htm
