Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (29): 4696-4703.doi: 10.12307/2023.480

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Mechanism underlying the mutual regulation between circadian rhythm and autophagy

Chen Chao, Wang Xuenan, Zhan Enyu, Lyu Zhengpin, Zhang Fan   

  1. Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan Province, China
  • Received:2022-05-23 Accepted:2022-08-13 Online:2023-10-18 Published:2022-12-02
  • Contact: Zhang Fan, MD, Associate professor, Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan Province, China
  • About author:Chen Chao, Master candidate, Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan Province, China
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82160428 (to ZF); the Major Science and Technology Special Project of Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Department, No. 202102AA310068 (to ZF); a grant from Yunnan Provincial Clinical Center for Osteoarthritis, No. ZX2019-03-04 (to ZF)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: At present, circadian rhythm of autophagy has gradually become a research hotspot in life sciences and human health. It plays an important role in maintaining human health, and many studies have confirmed that abnormal autophagy caused by circadian rhythm disorders can induce various diseases, such as neurodegeneration, cancer, aging, and autoimmunity. With the in-depth research, there is increasing evidence for the regulatory association between autophagy and circadian rhythm. However, their mutual regulation mechanism has not yet been elucidated.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between circadian rhythm and autophagy, review the latest research progress in molecular circadian clock, circadian rhythm of autophagy, and the mutual regulation mechanism of circadian rhythm and autophagy, thereby giving a detailed overview of the specific molecular mechanism.
METHODS: “Circadian rhythm, autophagy, molecular circadian clock, regulation, gene” were used as English and Chinese search terms. Relevant literature was searched in the PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, and WanFang Databases. Finally, 107 articles were included for review according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Circadian rhythm is a 24-hour physiological and behavioral rhythm generated by the molecular circadian clock. The molecular circadian clock is closely related to its production, mainly through the binding of BMAL1:CLOCK heterodimer to the E-box in the target molecule promoter to further activate the transcription of Cry, Per, Rev-erb, and Ror genes, thereby modulating the production of circadian rhythms. (2) Some genes, transcription factors, and pathways involved in autophagy are rhythmic in circadian changes, regulated by multiple circadian clock core components (such as Per2, BMAL1, and REV-ERB), which are a bridge functionally linking circadian rhythms and autophagy. (3) In addition, some molecules and drugs can also affect autophagy and circadian rhythm and play a crucial role in the regulation of rhythmic autophagy.

Key words: circadian rhythm, autophagy, molecular circadian clock, regulation, gene

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