Recent research reveals that the immune system interacts with the body's internal clock, influencing both fat storage and temperature regulation. These insights carry substantial implications for individuals with irregular work, eating, or sleep patterns driven by the demands of modern life. The key finding – that an immune molecule within adipose (fat) tissue, known as interleukin-17A (IL-17A), plays a regulatory role in fat storage – holds significant therapeutic potential for addressing obesity, preventing wasting, and mitigating other metabolic disorders.
By targeting this molecule, drug developers may gain a valuable new pathway for creating treatments aimed at these conditions. Circadian rhythms are biological processes that operate on a 24-hour cycle, ensuring that key biological functions occur at specific times of day to synchronise the body with external environmental cues. The most prominent example is the sleep-wake cycle, which aligns with the natural light-dark cycle of the sun.
The immune system operates on a circadian rhythm, priming the body to anticipate and combat infections at specific times of day. Recently, research has highlighted an additional role of immune cell circadian rhythms in sustaining tissue integrity and function – most notably in the gut, where specialised cells deliver metabolic signals that optimise nutrient absorption during feeding periods. In a recent study led by Professor Lydia Lynch and published in leading international journ.
