SCI Rep: shock! Fat cells have their own biological clock!

February 28, 2019 / BIOON / - a new study published in scientific reports shows that fat cells in the human body have their own internal biological clock, and they show circadian rhythms that can affect more critical metabolic functions The study, led by Dr Jonathan Johnston of the University of Surrey in the UK, is the first to explore the circadian rhythms of fat cells from people with little change in their living environment Photo source: scientific reports circadian rhythm is a 24-hour change controlled by the body's internal clock Researchers believe that circadian clock disorders are a key cause of obesity and poor health In this unique study, seven participants maintained a fixed sleep pattern and eating time before entering the laboratory, which they continued to maintain for up to three days after entering the laboratory Then they went through a 37 hour fixed cycle, during which they were in a light less, fast eating and sleep wake cycle The researchers extracted their adipose tissue every six hours and analyzed its gene expression The researchers found that 727 genes in adipose tissue maintain their own circadian rhythms, many of which are involved in key metabolic functions The analysis of gene expression showed that 1 / 3 of them had a peak expression in the morning, and the remaining 2 / 3 had a peak expression in the evening In the morning, the genes with the highest expression peak are related to gene expression and regulation of nucleic acid biology, while the rest are related to reducing activity and organic acid metabolism These rhythms are unaffected by external factors such as light and food, suggesting that these genes in fat cells function at different times of the day Fat cells play an important role in our body They are responsible for storing energy, controlling metabolism and appetite by secreting hormones Dr Jonathan Johnston, the lead author of the study, said that tissues made up of fat cells are not just energy storage, they are active metabolic tissues with their own circadian rhythms "This is the first time we have found that human fat cells have this circadian rhythm This provides us with more information about the day-to-day changes in metabolism and helps explain why the body processes food differently during the day and at night " Reference materials: jonathan d Johnston et al Circular regulation in human white advertisement tissue reviewed by transcription and metallic network analysis Scientific reports (2019) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39668-3