DNA Damage and Aging Around the Clock

The circadian rhythm: A new target of natural products that can protect against diseases of the metabolic system, cardiovascular system, and nervous system

BACKGROUND

The treatment of metabolic system, cardiovascular system, and nervous system diseases remains to be explored. In the internal environment of organisms, the metabolism of substances such as carbohydrates, lipids and proteins (including biohormones and enzymes) exhibit a certain circadian rhythm to maintain the energy supply and material cycle needed for the normal activities of organisms. As a key factor for the health of organisms, the circadian rhythm can be disrupted by pathological conditions, and this disruption accelerates the progression of diseases and results in a vicious cycle. The current treatments targeting the circadian rhythm for the treatment of metabolic system, cardiovascular system, and nervous system diseases have certain limitations, and the identification of safer and more effective circadian rhythm regulators is needed.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

To systematically assess the possibility of using the biological clock as a natural product target for disease intervention, this work reviews a range of evidence on the potential effectiveness of natural products targeting the circadian rhythm to protect against diseases of the metabolic system, cardiovascular system, and nervous system. This manuscript focuses on how natural products restore normal function by affecting the amplitude of the expression of circadian factors, sleep/wake cycles and the structure of the gut microbiota.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF THE REVIEW

This work proposes that the circadian rhythm, which is regulated by the amplitude of the expression of circadian rhythm-related factors and the sleep/wake cycle, is crucial for diseases of the metabolic system, cardiovascular system and nervous system and is a new target for slowing the progression of diseases through the use of natural products. This manuscript provides a reference for the molecular modeling of natural products that target the circadian rhythm and provides a new perspective for the time-targeted action of drugs.

REV-ERBα reduction is associated with clinicopathological features and prognosis in human gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is a serious threat to human health. Nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 1 (REV-ERBα) is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor family that regulates lipid metabolism, inflammatory responses and circadian rhythms. However, the role of REV-ERBα in the pathogenesis of human gastric cancer is unclear. The present study employed gastric cancer tissues from 74 patients and determined the association between REV-ERBα expression with clinicopathological variables and prognosis. Furthermore, the association between REV-ERBα and apoptosis in undifferentiated and moderately differentiated human gastric cancer cells was determined. It was identified that REV-ERBα expression was decreased in gastric cancer, which was positively associated with poor differentiation (P=0.009), T stage (P=0.001), Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TMN) stage (P=0.001) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.007). In the survival analysis, the 3- and 5-year survival times of patients were significantly associated with REV-ERBα expression (P=0.009 and P=0.002, respectively). Low REV-ERBα expression was associated with poor prognosis (P<0.05). Concurrently, cleaved caspase-3 expression was downregulated, whereas expression levels of Bcl-2 and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio were upregulated in gastric cancer tissues compared with normal tissues. REV-ERBα activator GSK4112 caused apoptosis in SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cell lines. REV-ERBα levels were decreased in human gastric cancer, which was associated with poor differentiation, TMN stages and poor prognosis. REV-ERBα is a potential biomarker for tumor development and prognosis, and a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.