Circadian Regulation of Peripheral Inflammation

Circadian rhythms regulate various physiological and cellular processes. These biological oscillations are fundamental features of nearly all organisms. In mammals, light synchronizes brain clocks, while feeding is the primary cause of peripheral clock synchronization in metabolic tissues such as the muscles, adipose tissues, liver, and pancreas. The circadian clock regulates several intracellular signaling pathways, including inflammatory and immunological response, angiogenesis, metabolic and redox homeostasis, and cell proliferation. Furthermore, circadian dysfunction caused by the misalignment of peripheral clocks leads to various diseases such as metabolic disorders, neurodegeneration, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. The underlying molecular mechanism of the circadian clock is linked to peripheral inflammation, activation of the innate or adaptive immune system, and the release of proinflammatory cytokines in response to a variety of pathogenic stimuli. In this book chapter, we emphasize the circadian clock mechanism and their regulation of peripheral inflammation and associated immunological disorders.