Is it time for dinner yet? Scientists have discovered that merely changing meal times can have a drastic effect on the levels of triglycerides in the liver. This has important implications not only for the treatment of metabolic diseases, but also for most research areas in life sciences.
Most of our internal processes follow a biological clock. This clock is synced to light-dark cycles and other cues in our environment; called circadian rhythm, it helps regulate our metabolism and other factors, so it's perhaps not surprising that when we eat can also greatly influence how our bodies react.
In this study, the researchers wanted to see how circadian rhythm might impact the accumulation of lipids, or fat, in the liver. That's why they turned to mice. In the end, they found that a certain group of lipids, namely the triglycerides (TAG), exhibited circadian behavior. Levels peaked about eight hours after sunrise. In addition, these daily fluctuations occurred even in mice lacking a functional biological clock.
So how was this possible? Without a clock, how did the lipids accumulate the way they did? The researchers had a theory--and it had to do with food.
"One thing that came to mind was that, since food is a major source of lipids--particularly TAG--the eating habits of these mice might play a role," said Yaarit Adamovich, one of the researchers, in a news release.
In fact, the researchers found that by regulating food levels and times of food consumption, TAG levels fluctuated. This showed that the time at which TAG accumulation occurs, as well as its levels, are determined by clocks in conjunction with timing of meals.
The findings could have implications for biological research in general. For example, circadian clock mechanisms function even in cultured cells, so research results could vary depending on the time at which samples are analyzed. Feeding regimen could also affect outcomes. In the end, it seems that timing is everything for research.
The findings are published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
