Translational research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicineJan 8, 2019

How the Body’s Internal Clock May Be Linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

Disruption of the circadian system may increase the activity of the gut immune system and the release of inflammatory factors.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is linked to dysfunctions in both the innate and adaptive immune systems.
Environmental stressors affecting circadian rhythms could influence digestive health.
Alterations in interactions between intestinal mucosa, microbes, and immune responses are highlighted in relation to IBD.
Circadian rhythm genes play a role in regulating intestinal defense mechanisms and maintaining a healthy microbiota.
Experimental and clinical studies suggest that impairments in circadian rhythms are associated with IBD.

Simplified

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises a group of chronic, immune system-mediated inflammatory diseases that primarily affect the gastrointestinal tract. The pathogenesis of the intestinal lesions in IBD remains elusive, but the inflammation process could be the result of dysfunction of the innate and adaptive immune systems induced by genetic and environmental factors. In recent years, research has demonstrated a connection between environmental stressors that can influence day-night variations, also called circadian rhythms, and digestive health. In this review, we focus on alterations in the complex interactions between intestinal mucosa, microbial factors, and the immune response in the intestinal milieu. We introduce the mechanisms that establish circadian rhythms and their regulation by the circadian rhythm genes. Evidence of circadian variation in the defense mechanisms of the intestine and its implication in the maintenance of a healthy microbiota are presented. Disruption of the circadian system can increase the activity of the gut immune system and the release of inflammatory factors. The link between chronodisruption or circadian rhythm impairment and IBD demonstrated by experimental and clinical studies illustrates the potential impact of circadian rhythms on treatment of these diseases. Future studies that investigate aspects of this subject are warranted.

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How the Body’s Internal Clock May Be Linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease

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