大多數(shù)人坐飛機(jī)長(zhǎng)途旅行后都會(huì)有時(shí)差反應(yīng)。英國(guó)牛津大學(xué)的研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)了一種阻礙人體生物鐘重新調(diào)整的基因,，也許不久就能研發(fā)出可幫助人們消除痛苦的時(shí)差反應(yīng)的藥物,。
當(dāng)旅途穿越３個(gè)以上時(shí)區(qū)時(shí),，人們就容易出現(xiàn)時(shí)差反應(yīng)。長(zhǎng)途旅行時(shí),，我們眼中特殊的感光組織能夠感知到變化,，同時(shí)促使體內(nèi)生物鐘隨當(dāng)?shù)貢r(shí)間調(diào)整。但生物鐘每調(diào)整一個(gè)小時(shí),，人體就需要適應(yīng)一天,，結(jié)果便會(huì)連續(xù)幾天出現(xiàn)不適反應(yīng),，比如疲勞、失眠等,。
為了弄明白為何恢復(fù)期要這么長(zhǎng),，研究人員將處于黑暗中數(shù)小時(shí)的老鼠放置在光亮處進(jìn)行了研究。
研究人員在新一期《細(xì)胞》雜志上報(bào)告說(shuō),，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個(gè)幫助老鼠體內(nèi)生物鐘適應(yīng)光照的基因組,，但其中有一個(gè)基因卻起著相反的作用,。當(dāng)把老鼠體內(nèi)的這個(gè)基因“關(guān)閉”,，給它們變換３個(gè)不同時(shí)區(qū)，它們幾乎沒(méi)有出現(xiàn)時(shí)差反應(yīng),。
研究人員認(rèn)為,，這種基因猶如一個(gè)“安全閘”，具有防止人體生物鐘紊亂的作用,，因?yàn)橄到y(tǒng)紊亂與眾多慢性疾病有關(guān),。
牛津大學(xué)的斯圖爾特·皮爾遜博士說(shuō)：“我們發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個(gè)積極阻礙人體生物鐘重新調(diào)整的系統(tǒng)。不過(guò),，有一個(gè)提高人體生物鐘穩(wěn)定性的緩沖機(jī)制也在情理之中,。但也正是這個(gè)緩沖機(jī)制影響了我們適應(yīng)新時(shí)區(qū)的能力，引發(fā)了時(shí)差反應(yīng),。”
皮爾遜博士表示,，限制這種緩沖機(jī)制作用的物質(zhì)已經(jīng)研究了出來(lái)，消除這種現(xiàn)象的藥物有望在１０年內(nèi)上市,。（生物谷 Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦的英文摘要
Cell Doi:10.1016/j.cell.2013.08.004
The CRTC1-SIK1 Pathway Regulates Entrainment of the Circadian Clock
Aarti Jagannath, Rachel Butler, Sofia I.H. Godinho, Yvonne Couch, Laurence A. Brown, Sridhar R. Vasudevan, Kevin C. Flanagan, Daniel Anthony, Grant C. Churchill, Matthew J.A. Wood, Guido Steiner, Martin Ebeling, Markus Hossbach, Joseph G. Wettstein, Giles E. Duffield, Silvia Gatti, Mark W. Hankins, Russell G. Foster, Stuart N. Peirson
Retinal photoreceptors entrain the circadian system to the solar day. This photic resetting involves cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)-mediated upregulation of Per genes within individual cells of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Our detailed understanding of this pathway is poor, and it remains unclear why entrainment to a new time zone takes several days. By analyzing the light-regulated transcriptome of the SCN, we have identified a key role for salt inducible kinase 1 (SIK1) and CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1) in clock re-setting. An entrainment stimulus causes CRTC1 to coactivate CREB, inducing the expression of Per1 and Sik1. SIK1 then inhibits further shifts of the clock by phosphorylation and deactivation of CRTC1. Knockdown of Sik1 within the SCN results in increased behavioral phase shifts and rapid re-entrainment following experimental jet lag. Thus SIK1 provides negative feedback, acting to suppress the effects of light on the clock. This pathway provides a potential target for the regulation of circadian rhythms.
