Researchers have discovered how some cells in the intestine change throughout the day.

Research has found that the abundance of sentinel cluster cells is higher at dusk, which is the beginning of the active phase, and lower at dawn, which is the beginning of the resting phase. However, if the feeding time is reversed, the abundance of cluster cells will also be reversed.

Cluster cells exist on the inner wall of the intestine and are associated with monitoring the immune system. They investigate the luminal environment of the intestine and send signals to other cells when potential immune threats are detected.

To study these cells, researchers investigated the behavior of mice infected with parasites and viruses under different feeding schedules. Then, they measured changes in cluster cells and various signals.

Researchers have found that the histone modifying enzyme HDAC3 promotes the production of clustered cells and changes in their abundance throughout the day. They also found that the developmental pathway targeted by HDAC3 changed, reducing the number of clustered cells and decreasing the body's ability to resist infections.

Cluster cells play a crucial role in immunity and are also associated with diseases such as obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, and colorectal cancer. The expert's discovery provides a new way to combat these diseases by targeting these clustered cells.

The researchers plan to further investigate the effects of clustered cell rhythms on healthy and diseased mice.

This article only introduces the progress of medical research,

Cannot be used as a reference for treatment plans.

Reference source:

DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adk7387