Role of circadian clock genes in the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Circadian clock is an inherent biological rhythm of organism which forms in the long process of evolution to adapt to the changes in light and temperature due to day-night alternation. Circadian clock in humans is accurately regulated by various circadian clock genes at the molecular level and are hierarchically regulated by the central clock and the peripheral clock at the anatomical level. Recent studies have found that circadian clock genes can participate in intracellular lipid metabolism by regulating downstream clock-controlled genes, and the disorder of circadian clock genes can result in abnormal lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and abnormal secretion of glucocorticoids and inflammatory factors, which are closely associated with the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The disorder of circadian clock genes can also increase the susceptibility to fatty liver disease and thus acts as a bridge that connects circadian clock genes and NAFLD. The pathogenesis of NAFLD remains unclear at present, and therefore, this article summarizes the recent studies on the association between circadian clock genes and NAFLD, so as to provide a theoretical basis for further clarifying the pathogenesis of NAFLD.