Circadian rhythm-metabolism link discovered

"When this balance between these two vital proteins is upset, normal cellular function can be disrupted," Sassone-Corsi said. "Because of the role these two enzymes play, changes in our sleep patterns or our diets can directly be translated into how our cells act."

The findings also suggest that proper sleep and diet could help maintain or rebuild the CLOCK-SIRT1 equilibrium and may help explain why lack of proper rest or disruption in our normal sleep patterns is known to increase hunger, which can lead to obesity and related illnesses and can accelerate the aging process.

The specific interaction between CLOCK and SIRT1 also could lead to the development of drugs aimed at facilitating healthy metabolism, thereby helping to solve major social and medical problems such as diabetes and obesity.

Yasukazu Nakahata, Milota Kaluzova, Benedetto Grimaldi, Saurabh Sahar and Jun Hirayama of UCI, and Danica Chen and Leonard P. Guarente of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology participated in the study, which was supported by the Cancer Research Coordinating Committee of the University of California and the National Institutes of Health.

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