Open AccessIdentification of circadian clock modulators from existing drugs
Author(s) -
Tamai T Katherine,
Nakane Yusuke,
Ota Wataru,
Kobayashi Akane,
Ishiguro Masateru,
Kadofusa Naoya,
Ikegami Keisuke,
Yagita Kazuhiro,
Shigeyoshi Yasufumi,
Sudo Masaki,
NishiwakiOhkawa Taeko,
Sato Ayato,
Yoshimura Takashi
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
embo molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.923
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1757-4684
pISSN - 1757-4676
DOI - 10.15252/emmm.201708724
Subject(s) - circadian rhythm , circadian clock , identification (biology) , computational biology , pharmacology , medicine , biology , neuroscience , botany
Chronic circadian disruption due to shift work or frequent travel across time zones leads to jet‐lag and an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The development of new pharmaceuticals to treat circadian disorders, however, is costly and hugely time‐consuming. We therefore performed a high‐throughput chemical screen of existing drugs for circadian clock modulators in human U2 OS cells, with the aim of repurposing known bioactive compounds. Approximately 5% of the drugs screened altered circadian period, including the period‐shortening compound dehydroepiandrosterone ( DHEA ; also known as prasterone). DHEA is one of the most abundant circulating steroid hormones in humans and is available as a dietary supplement in the USA . Dietary administration of DHEA to mice shortened free‐running circadian period and accelerated re‐entrainment to advanced light–dark ( LD ) cycles, thereby reducing jet‐lag. Our drug screen also revealed the involvement of tyrosine kinases, ABL 1 and ABL 2, and the BCR serine/threonine kinase in regulating circadian period. Thus, drug repurposing is a useful approach to identify new circadian clock modulators and potential therapies for circadian disorders.