Impact of Circadian Rhythm Dysregulation on Metabolic Disease and Cancer: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies

Abstract

Circadian rhythms are involved in the fundamental physiological processes that maintain the appropriate function of the body’s major systems. Dysregulation of these rhythms can result in the disruption of key pathways of metabolism and cellular proliferation resulting in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases and cancer. This thesis will evaluate the role of circadian dysregulation and how it contributes to common metabolic illnesses such as obesity and T2DM, as well as a variety of malignancies. It also evaluates the influence of chronotherapy, the practice of aligning medical therapy with the biological rhythms of the body. Furthermore, it will also evaluate the potential of promising small molecules in restoring disrupted rhythms to realign the body’s clocks and enhance the efficacy of concurrent treatments.