Redox regulation and pro-oxidant reactions in the physiology of circadian systems

Rhythms of approximately 24 h are pervasive in most organisms and are known as circadian. There is a molecular circadian clock in each cell sustained by a feedback system of interconnected “clock” genes and transcription factors. In mammals, the timing system is formed by a central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, in coordination with a collection of peripheral oscillators. Recently, an extensive interconnection has been recognized between the molecular circadian clock and the set of biochemical pathways that underlie the bioenergetics of the cell. A principle regulator of metabolic networks is the flow of electrons between electron donors and acceptors. The concomitant reduction and oxidation (redox) reactions directly influence the balance between anabolic and catabolic processes. This review summarizes and discusses recent findings concerning the mutual and dynamic interactions between the molecular circadian clock, redox reactions, and redox signaling. The scope includes the regulatory role played by redox coenzymes (NAD(P)+/NAD(P)H, GSH/GSSG), reactive oxygen species (superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide), antioxidants (melatonin), and physiological events that modulate the redox state (feeding condition, circadian rhythms) in determining the timing capacity of the molecular circadian clock. In addition, we discuss a purely metabolic circadian clock, which is based on the redox enzymes known as peroxiredoxins and is present in mammalian red blood cells and in other biological systems. Both the timing system and the metabolic network are key to a better understanding of widespread pathological conditions such as the metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes.