Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Science, 386(6722), 673–677. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adn2786 Dr. Lauren N. Woodie et al.
Points
- Disrupted liver circadian rhythms, such as those caused by shift work or jet lag, affect communication with the brain through the hepatic vagal afferent nerve (HVAN), leading to irregular feeding patterns.
- Surgical removal of the HVAN corrects disorganized feeding behavior, suggesting its role in transmitting circadian signals related to food intake.
- High-fat diets disrupt liver circadian clocks, leading to altered feeding patterns and weight gain, but hepatic branch vagotomy prevents these effects and reduces weight gain in mice.
- The study identifies the HVAN as crucial for maintaining circadian-regulated feeding behavior, suggesting this pathway is essential for metabolic homeostasis.
- These findings highlight potential therapeutic approaches targeting liver-brain communication to mitigate obesity and improve metabolic regulation in individuals with circadian rhythm disruptions.
Summary
This research paper investigates the impact of circadian rhythms on feeding behavior and metabolic regulation, explicitly focusing on the interaction between liver circadian function and brain control of food intake. The study examines how liver circadian rhythm disruptions caused by shift work or jet lag affect signaling through the hepatic vagal afferent nerve (HVAN). The authors demonstrate that liver clock dysfunction alters communication with the brain, leading to disorganized feeding patterns. Significantly, the disruption in feeding behavior can be corrected by surgical ablation of the HVAN, indicating its role in transmitting signals related to circadian desynchrony.
The study further explores the effects of a high-fat diet on liver rhythms and feeding control. Mice subjected to a high-fat diet exhibited significant disturbances in their circadian feeding patterns, which were linked to the dysfunction of liver circadian clocks. Hepatic branch vagotomy was shown to prevent the food intake disruptions associated with high-fat diet feeding and significantly reduce body weight gain. These findings highlight the importance of hepatic-brain communication in maintaining circadian control over feeding behavior and suggest that interventions targeting this pathway could mitigate the adverse effects of obesity.
The research identifies the hepatic vagus nerve as a critical component of the homeostatic feedback mechanism that governs circadian food intake patterns. By establishing a connection between liver circadian rhythms and brain signaling, this study opens up potential therapeutic avenues for improving metabolic control and preventing obesity in individuals experiencing circadian disruptions. The insights gained from this research may inform future strategies for managing metabolic disorders linked to disrupted circadian rhythms.
Link to the article: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn2786
References Woodie, L. N., Melink, L. C., Midha, M., De Araújo, A. M., Geisler, C. E., Alberto, A. J., Krusen, B. M., Zundell, D. M., De Lartigue, G., Hayes, M. R., & Lazar, M. A. (2024). Hepatic vagal afferents convey clock-dependent signals to regulate circadian food intake. Science, 386(6722), 673–677. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adn2786
