Diurnal variations in subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy reactions

Variances in the Expression Profile of Circadian Clock-Related Genes in Astrocytic Brain Tumors

This study explores the role of circadian clock genes in the progression of astrocytic tumors, a prevalent type of brain tumor. The aim was to assess the expression patterns of these genes in relation to the tumor grade. Using microarray analysis, qRT-PCR, and methylation-specific PCR, we examined gene expression, DNA methylation patterns, and microRNA interactions in tumor samples from 60 patients. Our results indicate that the expression of key circadian clock genes, such as clock circadian regulator (CLOCK), protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit alpha 1 (PRKAA1), protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit alpha 2 (PRKAA2), protein kinase AMP-activated non-catalytic subunit beta 1 (PRKAB1), protein kinase AMP-activated non-catalytic subunit beta 2 (PRKAB2), period circadian regulator 1 (PER1), period circadian regulator 2 (PER2) and period circadian regulator 3 (PER3), varies significantly with the tumor grade. Notably, increased CLOCK gene expression and protein levels were observed in higher-grade tumors. DNA methylation analysis revealed that the promoter regions of PER1-3 genes were consistently methylated, suggesting a mechanism for their reduced expression. Our findings also underscore the complex regulatory mechanisms involving miRNAs, such as hsa-miR-106-5p, hsa-miR-20b-5p, and hsa-miR-30d-3p, which impact the expression of circadian clock-related genes. This underscores the importance of circadian clock genes in astrocytic tumor progression and highlights their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Further research is needed to validate these results and explore their clinical implications.

Diurnal Variations in Skin Prick Testing

Background: Prior research suggests that skin prick testing (SPT) might be larger in the afternoon, with unclear clinical significance. Methods: This retrospective chart review analyzed SPT results from patients between June 2008 and June 2017, organized into 4 time groups for analysis (Group 1: 7:00 AM -10:29 AM, Group 2: 10:30 AM -11:59 AM, Group 3: 12:00 PM -2:29 PM, and Group 4: 2:30 PM -8:15 PM). Results: In total, 12,982 (n) patient test results had positive histamine and were included in final analysis. Histamine wheal size was not significantly increased in the PM compared with AM (P = 0.89). Food allergen and aeroallergen wheal sizes were not significantly increased in PM. Histamine erythema size was increased in the PM compared with AM (P ≤ 0.01). Food allergen and aeroallergen erythema sizes trended toward an increase in the PM. Conclusions: There were not significant differences in SPT wheal size based on time of day for histamine, food allergens, or aeroallergens. SPT can be reliably performed at any time of day.

Circadian disruption and human health

Circadian disruption is pervasive and can occur at multiple organizational levels, contributing to poor health outcomes at individual and population levels. Evidence points to a bidirectional relationship, in that circadian disruption increases disease severity and many diseases can disrupt circadian rhythms. Importantly, circadian disruption can increase the risk for the expression and development of neurologic, psychiatric, cardiometabolic, and immune disorders. Thus, harnessing the rich findings from preclinical and translational research in circadian biology to enhance health via circadian-based approaches represents a unique opportunity for personalized/precision medicine and overall societal well-being. In this Review, we discuss the implications of circadian disruption for human health using a bench-to-bedside approach. Evidence from preclinical and translational science is applied to a clinical and population-based approach. Given the broad implications of circadian regulation for human health, this Review focuses its discussion on selected examples in neurologic, psychiatric, metabolic, cardiovascular, allergic, and immunologic disorders that highlight the interrelatedness between circadian disruption and human disease and the potential of circadian-based interventions, such as bright light therapy and exogenous melatonin, as well as chronotherapy to improve and/or modify disease outcomes.

Circadian clock genes promote glioma progression by affecting tumour immune infiltration and tumour cell proliferation

Objectives

Circadian rhythm controls complicated physiological activities in organisms. Circadian clock genes have been related to tumour progression, but its role in glioma is unknown. Therefore, we explored the relationship between dysregulated circadian clock genes and glioma progression.

Materials and Methods

Samples were divided into different groups based on circadian clock gene expression in training dataset (n = 672) and we verified the results in other four validating datasets (n = 1570). The GO and GSEA enrichment analysis were conducted to explore potential mechanism of how circadian clock genes affected glioma progression. The single‐cell RNA‐Seq analysis was conducted to verified previous results. The immune landscape was evaluated by the ssGSEA and CIBERSORT algorithm. Cell proliferation and viability were confirmed by the CCK8 assay, colony‐forming assay and flow cytometry.

Results

The cluster and risk model based on circadian clock gene expression can predict survival outcome. Samples were scoring by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis, and high scoring tumour was associated with worse survival outcome. Samples in high‐risk group manifested higher activation of immune pathway and cell cycle. Tumour immune landscape suggested high‐risk tumour infiltrated more immunocytes and more sensitivity to immunotherapy. Interfering TIMELESS expression affected circadian clock gene expression, inhibited tumour cell proliferation and arrested cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase.

Conclusions

Dysregulated circadian clock gene expression can affect glioma progression by affecting tumour immune landscape and cell cycle. The risk model can predict glioma survival outcome, and this model can also be applied to pan‐cancer.

The Circadian Clock Drives Mast Cell Functions in Allergic Reactions

Allergic diseases are known to vary in the severity of their symptoms throughout the day/night cycle. This rhythmicity is also observed in mast cell function and responsiveness. Mast cells are key effector cells of allergic reactions and release cytokines, chemokines, and important inflammatory mediators such as histamine, which have been shown to display diurnal variation. Recent research clarified that mast cells are controlled by their internal clock-which is regulated by a specific set of clock genes-as well as external factors such as light sensed by the suprachiasmatic nuclei, hormonal status, or diet. Here, we give an overview of the connections between circadian clock, mast cells, and allergic disease. Further work aimed at studying the role of chronotherapy/chronomedicine should take into account this rhythmic nature of not only mast cells but also the immune responses generated by mast cell signaling.

Sleep disturbance in children with moderate/severe atopic dermatitis: A case-control study

BACKGROUND

Sleep is disturbed in 60% of children with atopic dermatitis (AD).

OBJECTIVE

To characterize sleep in a cohort of children with moderate-to-severe AD and determine methods for assessment of sleep disturbance.

METHODS

A case-control study compared children age 6 to 17 years who have moderate-to-severe AD with age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Participants wore actigraphy watches and completed sleep- and disease-specific questionnaires.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients with AD and 19 controls completed the study. The patients with AD experienced wake after sleep onset (WASO) for 103 plus or minus 55 minutes as compared with 50 plus or minus 27 minutes in the controls (P < .01). They had a higher frequency of restless sleep, daytime sleepiness, difficulty falling back to sleep at night, and teacher-reported daytime sleepiness. Disease severity correlated well with WASO (total SCORing Atopic Dermatitis score: r = 0.61, P < .01; objective SCORing Atopic Dermatitis score: r = 0.58, P = .01; and Eczema Area and Severity Index: r = 0.68, P < .01). The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index sleep question correlated with WASO (r = 0.52, P = .03), but self-reported itch severity did not (r = 0.28, P = .30).

LIMITATIONS

The study cohort was small.

CONCLUSION

Children with moderate-to-severe AD experience more WASO and lower sleep efficiency than healthy controls but similar bedtime and wake time, sleep duration, and sleep onset latency.