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Fig. 1 | Journal of Hematology & Oncology

Fig. 1

From: Circadian rhythms and cancers: the intrinsic links and therapeutic potentials

Fig. 1

Regulation of circadian rhythms and their functions in cancer. a the master regulator of circadian clock is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. The SCN coordinates several organ clocks in response to the environmental factors (including sleep/wake, eating/fasting, activity/rest, etc.), for controlling body homeostasis, such as heart rate, body temperature, and hormone levels. b at the molecular level, CLOCK and BMAL1 can bind to the CRY and PER genes through their E-boxes, thus positively regulating circadian transcription. But the mammalian CRY and PER proteins, as a heterodimer interacting with CKIε, perform a negative effect for CLOCK/BMAL1-driven transcription. In addition, the expression of circadian genes is transcriptionally modulated by the RORs and REV-ERB, resulting in the activation or repression of gene transcription for several clock genes. c, the mutation or deletion of core clock genes (including Per1/2, Clock, Bmal1, Cry1/2 and Rorc) can accelerate the development of various tumors, such as liver, ovarian, lung, and colorectal cancer, and lymphoma. CLOCK: circadian locomotor output cycles kaput; BMAL1: brain and muscle aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator 1; CRY: cryptochrome; PER: period; CKIε: casein kinase Iε

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