American scientists have found that the normalization of circadian rhythms can slow the growth of a very dangerous cancer of the liver. About it reported in a press release on MedicalXpress.
Circadian rhythms is called the oscillation of the intensity of various biological processes associated with the change of day and night, including metabolism, sleep, Wake, reception and assimilation of food, and dependent on the mode of the day. It is known that the correct circadian rhythm increases the lifespan of the organism and reduce the risk of cancer, and the violation of biorhythms, on the contrary, provokes the development of various diseases.
Researchers have identified a nuclear isoform of hepatocyte factor 4-alpha (HNF4α), which inhibits the functioning of the gene BMAL1, is involved in the formation of circadian rhythm and is active in the liver cells. This isoform, called P2-HNF4α, differs in its properties from P1-HNF4α, which depends on circadian rhythms and inhibits encourage the development of cancer genes. P2-HNF4α begins to be synthesized at specific HNF4α gene transcription driven by alternative promoters.
It is shown that approximately half of the tumor cells of hepatocellular carcinoma, one of the most deadly forms of cancer, produced isoform of P2-HNF4α, which causes circadian dysfunction. When the researchers increased the activity of the gene BMAL1 that controls P1-HNF4α, the malignant cells began to die. The results show that support of circadian rhythms really helps in the prevention and treatment of cancer.
