A circadian gene expression atlas in mammals: Implications for biology and medicine

TLDR

Widespread circadian transcriptional oscillations across mammalian tissues had not been previously documented. Pathway analysis revealed novel clock‑mediated spatiotemporal relationships. Nearly half of mouse genes exhibit circadian oscillations, many top‑selling drugs target circadian genes, and the data suggest timed dosing could improve efficacy for drugs with short half‑lives.

Abstract

Significance We generated high-resolution multiorgan expression data showing that nearly half of all genes in the mouse genome oscillate with circadian rhythm somewhere in the body. Such widespread transcriptional oscillations have not been previously reported in mammals. Applying pathway analysis, we observed new clock-mediated spatiotemporal relationships. Moreover, we found a majority of best-selling drugs in the United States target circadian gene products. Many of these drugs have relatively short half-lives, and our data predict which may benefit from timed dosing.