Circadian Rhythm, Hypothalamo-Pituitary Adrenal Axis, and Immunity: Physiological and Pathological Examples

Abstract

All living organisms; from single-celled microorganisms to humans, they have to adapt to changing environmental conditions to maintain their survival processes. Circadian rhythm is one of the most important mechanism that associated with this adaptation processes. There are biological clocks in the body, which are related to the circadian rhythm and have a hierarchical organization. The master circadian clock is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of hypothalamus. SCN maintain body rhythms in synchronous with the light-dark cycle in the external environment. There are also peripheral oscillators that work in coordination with SCN. Neurological, endocrinological, and immunological functions in the body are under the influence of circadian and seasonal rhythms. Melatonin and cortisol (corticosterone in animals) are among the most important hormones that show circadian rhythm in the body. The body adapts to daily and seasonal changes with biological rhythms regulated by biological clocks. It is well known that the immune system is affected by the external environment. Changes in endocrine system, hypothalaomo-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, and immune system are marked, especially depending on the seasonal changes. Therefore, the immune system has close relationship with the circadian rhythm. Understanding relationship between physiological regulation of the circadian rhythm, HPA axis and immune activity is important for to keep our body in healthy conditions and struggle with the diseases as well. In current review, the interaction and relationship of genes and proteins related to the circadian rhythm with HPA axis and immune system parameters are discussed with both physiological and pathological examples.

Keywords

• Circadian rhythm
• immune system
• hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis
• healthy conditions
• disease

Sirkadiyen Ritim, Hipotalamo-Hipofizer Akrenal Aks ve Bağışıklık: Fizyolojik ve Patolojik Örnekler

Öz

Tek hücreli mikroorganizmalardan insanlara kadar, canlılar değişen çevre koşullarına uyum sağlamak zorundadır. Sirkadiyen ritim bu adaptasyonla ilişkili en önemli mekanizmadır. Vücutta sirkadiyen ritimle ilişkili, hiyerarşik organizasyona sahip, biyolojik saatler bulunmaktadır. Master sirkadiyen saat, hipotalamusun suprakiyazmatik nükleusunda (SCN) yer almaktadır. SCN, vücut ritimlerini dış ortamdaki aydınlık-karanlık döngüsüyle senkronize halde tutar. Merkezi saat olan SCN ile koordineli çalışan, periferal osilatörler de mevcuttur. Vücutta nörolojik, endokrinolojik ve immünolojik fonksiyonlar sirkadiyen ve mevsimsel ritimlerin etkisi altındadır. Vücutta sirkadiyen ritim gösteren hormonların başında melatonin ve kortizol (hayvanlarda kortikosteron) gelmektedir. Vücut günlük ve mevsimsel değişikliklere biyolojik saatleri vasıtasıyla düzenlenen biyolojik ritimlerle uyum sağlamaktadır. Bağışıklık sisteminin dış çevreden etkilendiği iyi bilinmektedir. Özellikle mevsim değişikliklerine bağlı olarak endokrin sistemde, hipotalamo-hipofizer adrenal aksta ve immün sistemde değişiklikler kendini belli etmektedir. Bununla birlikte immün sistem sirkadiyen ritimle de sıkı ilişkiye sahiptir. Sirkadiyen ritmin fizyolojik regülasyonu ve immün aktivite arasındaki ilişkinin anlaşılması sağlıklı yaşam ve hastalıklarla mücadele bakımından önem arz etmektedir. Yazımızda sirkadiyen ritimle ilişkili gen ve proteinlerin immün sistem parametreleri ile etkileşimi ve ilişkisi güncel fizyolojik ve patolojik örneklerle ele alınmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sirkadiyen ritim
• immun sistem
• hipotalamo-hipofizer adrenal aks
• sağlık
• hastalık

Kaynakça

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