Altered immune cell clocks may contribute to obesity and diabetes in shift workers

What is it about?

Our studies examine how shift work schedules where day and night are reversed every 5 days disrupt daily activity patterns and alter circadian clocks in immune cells, leading to chronic pro-inflammatory conditions that amplify body weight gain and metabolic dysfunction (i.e., systemic insulin resistance and glucose intolerance) in response to high-fat diet.

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Why is it important?

Our findings provide novel evidence indicating that proinflammatory activation of immune cells and other inflammatory mediators are key processes by which shift work and the resultant desynchronization of cellular circadian clocks throughout the body tilt the balance and exacerbate diet-induced metabolic disorders. This new information may lead to the development of therapeutic interventions for treating obesity-related metabolic disorders (e.g., type 2 diabetes) in individuals with a history of shift work or irregular schedules.