Unravelling the link between circadian clock genes and brain tumors: From pathological disruptions to potential therapeutic interventions

The circadian clock is present in nearly all tissues (including glial cells), which play crucial roles in brain functions and development. Circadian clock genes (CCGs) are responsible for regulating numerous cancer-associated biological mechanisms, including the regulation of cell cycle genes, apopt...

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Main Author: Amirah Albaqami
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Pharmacology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1617713/full
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author Amirah Albaqami
author_facet Amirah Albaqami
author_sort Amirah Albaqami
collection DOAJ
description The circadian clock is present in nearly all tissues (including glial cells), which play crucial roles in brain functions and development. Circadian clock genes (CCGs) are responsible for regulating numerous cancer-associated biological mechanisms, including the regulation of cell cycle genes, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. A range of studies have already confirmed the potential link between brain tumors and CCGs, including Bmal1, Clock, Period 1, Period 2, Period 3, Cry1, Cry2, retinoid-related orphan receptor-α (ROR-α). Growing evidence regarding gliomas including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) indicates the significance of modulation of CCG in cancer biology. Various studies have already revealed how tumor cells can disrupt CCGs to safeguard their survival. It has also recently been demonstrated in the case of gliomas (especially GBM) that CCGs should be targeted for the development of novel therapies or to ameliorate the current treatments that impair and abolish tumor growth. Multiple pharmacological modulators have been reported as effective in regulating CCGs in brain tumors, such as temozolomide, inhibitors of casein kinase 1 and casein kinase 2, curcumin, norepinephrine, melatonin, REV-ERB agonists, agonists of the retinoic acid-related orphan receptor, cryptochrome protein stabilizers, and 1A-116. In this review, an overview of brain tumors, the genetics of circadian clock, and the link between pathological disruptions of the CCGs and brain tumor development have been discussed. In addition, potential pharmacological interventions to modulate CCGs in brain tumors have also been reviewed.
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spelling doaj-art-9be731b7486c416bbc786176741f758c2025-08-20T03:14:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122025-05-011610.3389/fphar.2025.16177131617713Unravelling the link between circadian clock genes and brain tumors: From pathological disruptions to potential therapeutic interventionsAmirah AlbaqamiThe circadian clock is present in nearly all tissues (including glial cells), which play crucial roles in brain functions and development. Circadian clock genes (CCGs) are responsible for regulating numerous cancer-associated biological mechanisms, including the regulation of cell cycle genes, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. A range of studies have already confirmed the potential link between brain tumors and CCGs, including Bmal1, Clock, Period 1, Period 2, Period 3, Cry1, Cry2, retinoid-related orphan receptor-α (ROR-α). Growing evidence regarding gliomas including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) indicates the significance of modulation of CCG in cancer biology. Various studies have already revealed how tumor cells can disrupt CCGs to safeguard their survival. It has also recently been demonstrated in the case of gliomas (especially GBM) that CCGs should be targeted for the development of novel therapies or to ameliorate the current treatments that impair and abolish tumor growth. Multiple pharmacological modulators have been reported as effective in regulating CCGs in brain tumors, such as temozolomide, inhibitors of casein kinase 1 and casein kinase 2, curcumin, norepinephrine, melatonin, REV-ERB agonists, agonists of the retinoic acid-related orphan receptor, cryptochrome protein stabilizers, and 1A-116. In this review, an overview of brain tumors, the genetics of circadian clock, and the link between pathological disruptions of the CCGs and brain tumor development have been discussed. In addition, potential pharmacological interventions to modulate CCGs in brain tumors have also been reviewed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1617713/fullcircadian clock genesbrain tumorsglioblastoma multiformepathological disruptionspharmacological interventions
spellingShingle Amirah Albaqami
Unravelling the link between circadian clock genes and brain tumors: From pathological disruptions to potential therapeutic interventions
Frontiers in Pharmacology
circadian clock genes
brain tumors
glioblastoma multiforme
pathological disruptions
pharmacological interventions
title Unravelling the link between circadian clock genes and brain tumors: From pathological disruptions to potential therapeutic interventions
title_full Unravelling the link between circadian clock genes and brain tumors: From pathological disruptions to potential therapeutic interventions
title_fullStr Unravelling the link between circadian clock genes and brain tumors: From pathological disruptions to potential therapeutic interventions
title_full_unstemmed Unravelling the link between circadian clock genes and brain tumors: From pathological disruptions to potential therapeutic interventions
title_short Unravelling the link between circadian clock genes and brain tumors: From pathological disruptions to potential therapeutic interventions
title_sort unravelling the link between circadian clock genes and brain tumors from pathological disruptions to potential therapeutic interventions
topic circadian clock genes
brain tumors
glioblastoma multiforme
pathological disruptions
pharmacological interventions
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1617713/full
work_keys_str_mv AT amirahalbaqami unravellingthelinkbetweencircadianclockgenesandbraintumorsfrompathologicaldisruptionstopotentialtherapeuticinterventions