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Biomedical subjects

Li Lan

Publications and source records attributed to Li Lan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Suppression of transcription-replication conflicts by sequence-coordinated actions of TRDMT1 and MutLα.

TRDMT1 is an RNA methyltransferase that catalyzes 5-methylcytosine (m5C) formation in R-loops to promote transcription-coupled homologous recombination (TC-HR). Although TRDMT1 inhibition selectively kills BRCA1-deficient cancer cells, broader cancer dependencies on TRDMT1 remain unclear. Here, a TRDMT1 inhibitor (TRDMT1i) sensitivity screen across a large panel of cancer cell lines identifies loss of MLH1 or PMS2, two components of the MutLα mismatch repair (MMR) complex frequently inactivated in tumors, as key determinants of TRDMT1 dependency. In contrast, MutLβ and MutSα/β are dispensable for TRDMT1i resistance, revealing a unique MMR-independent function of MutLα. Mechanistically, TRDMT1 and MutLα independently recognize DNA-RNA hybrids and cooperatively suppress co-transcriptional R-loops genome-wide in undamaged cells, with m5C directing pathway choice. Furthermore, MutLα suppresses R-loops through its ATPase and endonuclease activities and through recruitment of EXO1. Combined loss of TRDMT1 and MLH1 causes extensive R-loop accumulation and transcription replication conflicts (TRCs), impairing replication fork progression, inducing DNA damage, and driving apoptosis-mediated synthetic lethality. Importantly, TRDMT1i suppresses growth of MLH1-deficient tumors by inducing TRCs in vivo, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for targeting MutLα-deficient tumors. These studies not only expand our understanding of cancer dependency on TRDMT1, but also identify a promising strategy to exploit TRCs in cancer therapy.

Humans↗

Cancer-testis antigen ACRBP: Cytotoxic response to its HLA-A2 restricted peptide and immune features in ovarian cancer.

While our prior study identified the HLA-A *0201-restricted ACRBP epitope peptide and demonstrated its capacity to generate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in vitro, the clinical relevance of the peptide-induced T cell reactivity in ovarian cancer (OC) patients and the in vivo anti-tumor efficacy of these CTLs remain unexplored. In this study, dendritic cells were sensitized with ACRBP peptide (ALLVLCYSI) and co-cultured with autologous CD8+T cells to induce the production of specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (Pep-CTLs). The anti-tumor effects of Pep-CTLs were evaluated in SCID mice bearing human ovarian cancer (OC) OVCAR-3 cells. Concurrently, we co-cultured ALLVLCYSI peptide with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from OC patients (HLA-A2+, ACRBP+) and assessed the number of specific T cells using ELISPOT assays. The immunological impact of the ACRBP peptide against human OC was validated through both in vitro and in vivo experiments. These findings establish a preclinical foundationfor developing ACRBP peptide-based vaccines in OC immunotherapy. To further elucidate ACRBP's role in OC treatment, the study analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from 8 OC patients and bulk RNA sequencing data from the Cancer Genome Atlas Project (TCGA) comprising 308 ovarian cancer cases. This analysis aimed to explore the heterogeneity among ACRBP-expressing tumor cell populations and to investigate the correlation between ACRBP expression and immune molecule expression (including MHC and chemokines) alongside chemotherapy response. These insights furnish a theoretical framework supporting the future application of ACRBP in tumor immunotherapy and strategies to prevent immune escape.

Humans↗

Blocking the glial function suppresses subcutaneous formalin-induced nociceptive behavior in the rat.

This study examined whether glial cells in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (Sp5C) were necessary for orofacial nociception and nociceptive processing induced by subcutaneously (s.c.) injection of 5% formalin into left mystacial vibrissae. The immunohistochemical, immunoelectron microscopical methods and behavior assessment were used in this study. Two hours after administration of carbenoxolone (CBX, a gap junction blocker) or fluorocistrate (FCA, a glail metabolic inhibitor) into the cerebellomedullary cistern, the nociceptive behavior and scratching-cumulative time reduced significantly (P<0.01). FCA attenuated obviously the expression of Fos/NeuN-immunoreactive (-IR) neurons (mean+/-S.E.M.=29+/-2.5) and Fos/glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-IR astrocytes (7.2+/-2.2) in Sp5C. CBX decreased the number of Fos/NeuN-IR neurons (25+/-1.7), but did not affect Fos/GFAP-IR astrocytes (16.2+/-5.4), compared with vehicle-preadministered rats (Fos/NeuN-IR neurons 135+/-4.2, and Fos/GFAP-IR astrocytes 25.8+/-4). Immunoelectron microscopy established that Cx32/Cx43 heterotypic gap junctions (HGJs) were present on junction areas between astrocytes and neurons within Sp5C. The number of HGJs increased significantly following formalin s.c. injection. It suggests that the Sp5C astrocytes may play an active regulating role in orofacial nociception via Cx32/Cx43 HGJs between astrocytes and neurons of Sp5C.

Animals↗

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 and VEGF upregulate CXCR4 in glioblastoma: implications for angiogenesis and glioma cell invasion.

Hypoxia and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) play a critical role in glioblastoma multiforme (GBMs). CXCR4 is involved in angiogenesis and is upregulated by HIF-1alpha. CXCR4 is a chemokine receptor for stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)alpha, also known as CXCL12. We hypothesized that CXCR4 would be upregulated by hypoxia in GBMs. First, we investigated the expression of HIF-1alpha and CXCR4 in GBMs. CXCR4 was consistently found colocalized with HIF-1alpha expression in pseudopalisading glioma cells around areas of necrosis. In addition, angiogenic tumor vessels were strongly positive for CXCR4. Next, we tested the in vitro effect of hypoxia and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on the expression of CXCR4 in glioma cell lines and in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). Exposure to hypoxia induced significant expression of CXCR4 and HIF-1alpha in glioma cells, whereas treatment with exogenous VEGF increased CXCR4 expression in HBMECs. We also transfected U87MG glioma cells with an HIF-1alpha construct and observed that CXCR4 was upregulated in these cells even in normoxic conditions. We then used a lentivirus-mediated shRNA expression vector directed against HIF-1alpha. When exposed to hypoxia, infected cells failed to show HIF-1alpha and CXCR4 upregulation. We performed migration assays under normoxic and hypoxic conditions in the presence or absence of AMD3100, a CXCR4 inhibitor. There was a significant increase in the migration of U87MG and LN308 glioma cells in hypoxic conditions, which was inhibited in the presence of AMD3100. These studies demonstrate the critical role played by hypoxia and CXCR4 in glioma cell migration. Based on these studies, we suggest that hypoxia regulates CXCR4 in GBMs at two levels. First, through HIF-1alpha in the pseudopalisading tumor cells themselves and, secondly, by the VEGF-stimulated angiogenic response in HBMECs. We believe this knowledge may lead to a potentially important two-pronged therapy against GBM progression using chemotherapy targeting CXCR4.

Adult↗

Vertebrate POLQ and POLbeta cooperate in base excision repair of oxidative DNA damage.

Base excision repair (BER) plays an essential role in protecting cells from mutagenic base damage caused by oxidative stress, hydrolysis, and environmental factors. POLQ is a DNA polymerase, which appears to be involved in translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) past base damage. We disrupted POLQ, and its homologs HEL308 and POLN in chicken DT40 cells, and also created polq/hel308 and polq/poln double mutants. We found that POLQ-deficient mutants exhibit hypersensitivity to oxidative base damage induced by H(2)O(2), but not to UV or cisplatin. Surprisingly, this phenotype was synergistically increased by concomitant deletion of the major BER polymerase, POLbeta. Moreover, extracts from a polq null mutant cell line show reduced BER activity, and POLQ, like POLbeta, accumulated rapidly at sites of base damage. Accordingly, POLQ and POLbeta share an overlapping function in the repair of oxidative base damage. Taken together, these results suggest a role for vertebrate POLQ in BER.

Animals↗

Replication-dependent and -independent responses of RAD18 to DNA damage in human cells.

Postreplication repair facilitates tolerance of DNA damage during replication, overcoming termination of replication at sites of DNA damage. A major post-replication repair pathway in mammalian cells is translesion synthesis, which is carried out by specialized polymerase(s), such as polymerase eta, and is identified by focus formation by the polymerase after irradiation with UVC light. The formation of these foci depends on RAD18, which ubiquitinates PCNA for the exchange of polymerases. To understand the initial processes in translesion synthesis, we have here analyzed the response to damage of RAD18 in human cells. We find that human RAD18 accumulates very rapidly and remains for a long period of time at sites of different types of DNA damage, including UVC light-induced lesions, and x-ray microbeam- and laser-induced single-strand breaks, in a cell cycle-independent manner. The accumulation of RAD18 at DNA damage is observed even when DNA replication is inhibited, and a small region containing a zinc finger motif located in the middle of RAD18 is essential and sufficient for the replication-independent damage accumulation. The zinc finger motif of RAD18 is not necessary for UV-induced polymerase eta focus formation, but another SAP (SAF-A/B, Acinus and PIAS) motif near the zinc finger is required. These data indicate that RAD18 responds to DNA damage in two distinct ways, one replication-dependent and one replication-independent, involving the SAP and zinc finger motifs, respectively.

Cell Cycle↗

The combination of ionizing radiation and peripheral vaccination produces long-term survival of mice bearing established invasive GL261 gliomas.

PURPOSE: High-grade glioma treatment includes ionizing radiation therapy. The high invasiveness of glioma cells precludes their eradication and is responsible for the dismal prognosis. Recently, we reported the down-regulation of MHC class I (MHC-I) products in invading tumor cells in human and mouse GL261 gliomas. Here, we tested the hypothesis that whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) up-regulates MHC-I expression on GL261 tumors and enhances the effectiveness of immunotherapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: MHC-I molecule expression on GL261 cells was analyzed in vitro and in vivo by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry, respectively. To test the response of established GL261 gliomas to treatment, mice with measurable (at CT imaging) brain tumors were randomly assigned to four groups receiving (a) no treatment, (b) WBRT in two fractions of 4 Gy, (c) vaccination with irradiated GL261 cells secreting granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, or (d) WBRT and vaccination. Endpoints were tumor response and survival. RESULTS: An ionizing radiation dose of 4 Gy maximally up-regulated MHC-I molecules on GL261 cells in vitro. In vivo, WBRT induced the expression of the beta2-microglobulin light chain subunit of the MHC class I complex on glioma cells invading normal brain and increased CD4+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration. However, the survival advantage obtained with WBRT or vaccination alone was minimal. In contrast, WBRT in combination with vaccination increased long-term survival to 40% to 80%, compared with 0% to 10% in the other groups (P < 0.002). Surviving animals showed antitumor immunity by rejecting challenge tumors. CONCLUSION: Ionizing radiation can be successfully combined with peripheral vaccination for the treatment of established high-grade gliomas.

Animals↗

BLM is an early responder to DNA double-strand breaks.

Bloom syndrome (BS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a marked predisposition to cancer and elevated genomic instability. The defective protein in BS, BLM, is a member of the RecQ helicase family and is believed to function in various DNA transactions, including in replication, repair, and recombination. Here, we show that both endogenous and overexpressed human BLM accumulates at sites of laser light-induced DNA double-strand breaks within 10s and colocalizes with gammaH2AX and ATM. Like its RecQ helicase family member, WRN, the defective protein in Werner syndrome, dissection of the BLM protein revealed that its HRDC domain is sufficient for its recruitment to the damaged sites. In addition, we confirmed that the C-terminal region spanning amino acids 1250-1292 within the HRDC domain is necessary for BLM recruitment. To identify additional proteins required for the recruitment of BLM, we examined the recruitment of BLM in various mutants generated from chicken DT40 cells and found that the early accumulation of BLM was not dependent on the presence of ATM, RAD17, DNA-PKcs, NBS1, XRCC3, RAD52, RAD54, or WRN. Thus, HRDC domain in DNA helicases is a common early responder to DNA double-strand breaks, enabling BLM and WRN to be involved in DNA repair.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Classification of breast lesions with multimodality computer-aided diagnosis: observer study results on an independent clinical data set.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a computer-aided diagnosis multimodality intelligent workstation as an aid to radiologists in the interpretation of mammograms and breast sonograms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An institutional review board approved the protocol for an observer study with signed consent, as well as the retrospective use of the mammograms, sonograms, and clinical data with waiver of consent. The HIPAA-compliant observer study was conducted with five breast radiologists and five breast imaging fellows, all of whom gave confidence ratings and patient management decisions, both without and with the computer aid, for 97 lesions that were unknown to both the observers and the computer. The performance of each observer without and with the computer aid was quantified by using four performance measures: area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (A(z)) value, partial A(z) value, sensitivity, and specificity. The statistical significance of the differences in the performance measures without and with the computer aid was determined by using a two-tailed t test for paired data. RESULTS: Use of the computer aid resulted in an improvement of the average performance of the 10 observers, as measured by means of a statistically significant increase in A(z) value (0.87-0.92; P < .001), partial A(z) value (0.47-0.68; P < .001), and sensitivity (0.88-0.93; P = .005). A statistically significant difference was not found in the specificity without and with the computer aid (0.66-0.69; P = .20). CONCLUSION: Use of multimodality intelligent workstations can improve the performance of radiologists in the task of differentiating malignant and benign lesions at mammography and sonography.

Adult↗

Noscapine inhibits hypoxia-mediated HIF-1alpha expression andangiogenesis in vitro: a novel function for an old drug.

Overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a common feature in solid malignancies related to oxygen deficiency. Since increased HIF-1 expression correlates with advanced disease stage, increased angiogenesis and poor prognosis, HIF-1 and its signaling pathway have become targets for cancer chemotherapy. In this study, we identified noscapine to be a novel small molecule inhibitor of the HIF-1 pathway based on its structure-function relation-ships with HIF-1 pathway inhibitors belonging to the benzylisoquinoline class of plant metabolites and/or to microtubule binding agents. We demonstrate that noscapine treatment of human glioma U87MG and T98G cell lines exposed to the hypoxic mimetic agent, CoCl2, inhibits hypoxia-mediated HIF-1alpha expression and transcriptional activity as measured by decreased secretion of VEGF, a HIF-1 target gene. Inhibition of hypoxia-mediated HIF-1alpha expression was due, in part, to its ability to inhibit accumulation of HIF-1alpha in the nucleus and target it for degradation via the proteasome. One mechanism of action of microtubule binding agents is their antiangiogenic activity associated with disruption of endothelial tubule formation. We show that noscapine has similar properties in vitro. Thus, noscapine may possess novel antiangiogenic activity associated with two broad mechanisms of action: first, by decreasing HIF-1alpha expression in hypoxic tumor cells, upregulation of target genes, such as VEGF, would be decreased concomitant with its associated angiogenic activity; second, by inhibiting endothelial cells from forming blood vessels in response to VEGF stimulation, it may limit the process of neo-vascularization, correlating with antitumor activity in vivo. For more than 75 years, noscapine has traditionally been used as an oral cough suppressant with no known toxic side effects in man. Thus, the studies reported here have found a novel function for an old drug. Given its low toxicity profile, its demonstrated antitumor activity in several animal models of cancer and its potential to inhibit the HIF-1 pathway, noscapine should be considered as an antiangiogenic chemotherapy for glioma.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗

Accumulation of Werner protein at DNA double-strand breaks in human cells.

Werner syndrome is an autosomal recessive accelerated-aging disorder caused by a defect in the WRN gene, which encodes a member of the RecQ family of DNA helicases with an exonuclease activity. In vitro experiments have suggested that WRN functions in several DNA repair processes, but the actual functions of WRN in living cells remain unknown. Here, we analyzed the kinetics of the intranuclear mobilization of WRN protein in response to a variety of types of DNA damage produced locally in the nucleus of human cells. A striking accumulation of WRN was observed at laser-induced double-strand breaks, but not at single-strand breaks or oxidative base damage. The accumulation of WRN at double-strand breaks was rapid, persisted for many hours, and occurred in the absence of several known interacting proteins including polymerase beta, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), Ku80, DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs), NBS1 and histone H2AX. Abolition of helicase activity or deletion of the exonuclease domain had no effect on accumulation, whereas the presence of the HRDC (helicase and RNaseD C-terminal) domain was necessary and sufficient for the accumulation. Our data suggest that WRN functions mainly at DNA double-strand breaks and structures resembling double-strand breaks in living cells, and that an autonomous accumulation through the HRDC domain is the initial response of WRN to the double-strand breaks.

Animals↗

GFAP and Fos immunoreactivity in lumbo-sacral spinal cord and medulla oblongata after chronic colonic inflammation in rats.

AIM: To investigate the response of astrocytes and neurons in rat lumbo-sacral spinal cord and medulla oblongata induced by chronic colonic inflammation, and the relationship between them. METHODS: Thirty-three male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: experimental group (n = 17), colonic inflammation was induced by intra-luminal administration of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS); control group (n = 16), saline was administered intra-luminally. After 3, 7, 14, and 28 d of administration, the lumbo-sacral spinal cord and medulla oblongata were removed and processed for anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Fos and GFAP/Fos immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Activated astrocytes positive for GFAP were mainly distributed in the superficial laminae (laminae I-II) of dorsal horn, intermediolateral nucleus (laminae V), posterior commissural nucleus (laminae X) and anterolateral nucleus (laminae IX). Fos-IR (Fos-immunoreactive) neurons were mainly distributed in the deeper laminae of the spinal cord (laminae III-IV, V-VI). In the medulla oblongata, both GFAP-IR astrocytes and Fos-IR neurons were mainly distributed in the medullary visceral zone (MVZ). The density of GFAP in the spinal cord of experimental rats was significantly higher after 3, 7, and 14 d of TNBS administration compared with the controls (50.4+/-16.8, 29.2+/-6.5, 24.1+/-5.6, P<0.05). The density of GFAP in MVZ was significantly higher after 3 d of TNBS administration (34.3+/-2.5, P<0.05). After 28 d of TNBS administration, the density of GFAP in the spinal cord and MVZ decreased and became comparable to that of the controls (18.0+/-4.9, 14.6+/-6.4, P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Astrocytes in spinal cord and medulla oblongata can be activated by colonic inflammation. The activated astrocytes are closely related to Fos-IR neurons. With the recovery of colonic inflammation, the activity of astrocytes in the spinal cord and medulla oblongata is reduced.

Animals↗

DNA polymerase lambda protects mouse fibroblasts against oxidative DNA damage and is recruited to sites of DNA damage/repair.

DNA polymerase lambda (pol lambda) is a member of the X family of DNA polymerases that has been implicated in both base excision repair and non-homologous end joining through in vitro studies. However, to date, no phenotype has been associated with cells deficient in this DNA polymerase. Here we show that pol lambda null mouse fibroblasts are hypersensitive to oxidative DNA damaging agents, suggesting a role of pol lambda in protection of cells against the cytotoxic effects of oxidized DNA. Additionally, pol lambda co-immunoprecipitates with an oxidized base DNA glycosylase, single-strand-selective monofunctional uracil-DNA glycosylase (SMUG1), and localizes to oxidative DNA lesions in situ. From these data, we conclude that pol lambda protects cells against oxidative stress and suggest that it participates in oxidative DNA damage base excision repair.

Animals↗

MSH2-MSH6 stimulates DNA polymerase eta, suggesting a role for A:T mutations in antibody genes.

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase deaminates cytosine to uracil (dU) in DNA, which leads to mutations at C:G basepairs in immunoglobulin genes during somatic hypermutation. The mechanism that generates mutations at A:T basepairs, however, remains unclear. It appears to require the MSH2-MSH6 mismatch repair heterodimer and DNA polymerase (pol) eta, as mutations of A:T are decreased in mice and humans lacking these proteins. Here, we demonstrate that these proteins interact physically and functionally. First, we show that MSH2-MSH6 binds to a U:G mismatch but not to other DNA intermediates produced during base excision repair of dUs, including an abasic site and a deoxyribose phosphate group. Second, MSH2 binds to pol eta in solution, and endogenous MSH2 associates with the pol in cell extracts. Third, MSH2-MSH6 stimulates the catalytic activity of pol eta in vitro. These observations suggest that the interaction between MSH2-MSH6 and DNA pol eta stimulates synthesis of mutations at bases located downstream of the initial dU lesion, including A:T pairs.

Base Pair Mismatch↗

Translocation of XRCC1 and DNA ligase IIIalpha from centrosomes to chromosomes in response to DNA damage in mitotic human cells.

DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) are the most frequent lesions caused by oxidative DNA damage. They disrupt DNA replication, give rise to double-strand breaks and lead to cell death and genomic instability. It has been shown that the XRCC1 protein plays a key role in SSBs repair. We have recently shown in living human cells that XRCC1 accumulates at SSBs in a fully poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) synthesis-dependent manner and that the accumulation of XRCC1 at SSBs is essential for further repair processes. Here, we show that XRCC1 and its partner protein, DNA ligase IIIalpha, localize at the centrosomes and their vicinity in metaphase cells and disappear during anaphase. Although the function of these proteins in centrosomes during metaphase is unknown, this centrosomal localization is PAR-dependent, because neither of the proteins is observed in the centrosomes in the presence of PAR polymerase inhibitors. On treatment of metaphase cells with H2O2, XRCC1 and DNA ligase IIIalpha translocate immediately from the centrosomes to mitotic chromosomes. These results show for the first time that the repair of SSBs is present in the early mitotic chromosomes and that there is a dynamic response of XRCC1 and DNA ligase IIIalpha to SSBs, in which these proteins are recruited from the centrosomes, where metaphase-dependent activation of PAR polymerase occurs, to mitotic chromosomes, by SSBs-dependent activation of PAR polymerase.

Cell Line↗

Computerized texture analysis of mammographic parenchymal patterns of digitized mammograms.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Mammographic density and parenchymal patterns have been shown to be related to the risk of developing breast cancer. Thus, computerized texture analysis of breast parenchymal patterns on mammograms may be useful in assessing breast cancer risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative evaluation was conducted of various computer-extracted texture features of mammographic parenchymal patterns of women with BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutations and those of women at low risk of developing breast cancer. Mammograms from 172 subjects (30 women with either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation and 142 low-risk women) were analyzed. Computerized texture features were extracted from regions-of-interest to assess the mammographic parenchymal patterns in the images. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to assess the performance of these features in the task of distinguishing between the two groups of women. RESULTS: Quantitative texture analysis on digitized mammograms demonstrated that gene-mutation carriers and low-risk women have different mammographic parenchymal patterns. Gene-mutation carriers presented with parenchymal patterns that were denser, coarser, and lower in contrast than those of the low-risk group. For the gene-mutation carriers, their mammographic patterns appear to contain less high-frequency component as indicated by higher coarseness values, lower fractal dimensions, and smaller edge gradients, which yielded corresponding A(z) values of 0.79, 0.84, and 0.78, respectively, in the task of distinguishing between gene-mutation carriers and the low-risk group with the entire dataset. The contrast measure calculated from co-occurrence matrix method, which describes local image variation, yielded an A(z) value of 0.86 in distinguishing between the two groups of women. CONCLUSION: Computerized texture analysis of mammograms provides radiographic descriptors of mammographic parenchymal patterns. The computer-extracted features may be useful for identifying women at high risk for breast cancer and for monitoring the treatment of breast cancer patients.

Adult↗

Diurnal fluctuation of time perception under 30-h sustained wakefulness.

Previous studies have reported that time perception in humans fluctuates over a 24-h period. Behavioral changes seem to affect human time perception, so that the fluctuation in human time perception may be the result of such changes due to self-determined activities. Recently, we carried out a study in which a healthy human cohort was asked to perform simultaneously loaded cognitive tasks under controlled conditions, and found that time perception decreased linearly from morning to evening. In addition, the variations in time perception were not a consequence of behavioral changes. It remains to be elucidated whether diurnal variations in time perception are a consequence of circadian rhythm or of some homeostatic changes that are attributable to accumulated wake time. The effects of circadian rhythm on time perception were investigated in eight healthy young male volunteers by conducting 10-s time production tasks under 30-h constant-routine conditions. Core body temperature and serum melatonin and cortisol levels were measured during the course of the study. Produced time exhibited a diurnal variation and was strongly correlated with circadian variations in core body temperature and serum melatonin levels. These results suggest that human short-term time perception is under the influence of the circadian pacemaker.

Adult↗