Daylight may enhance the immune system’s ability to fight infections, according to a new study led by the University of Auckland and published in Science Immunology.
Researchers used zebrafish- a small freshwater fish- as a model organism, due to its genetic similarities to humans.
The study focused on neutrophils, the most abundant immune cells in the body and a type of white blood cell. These cells are the first to respond to infection, rushing to the affected area and killing invading bacteria.
The researchers found that neutrophils have a circadian clock that tracks the day’s progression and enhances their ability to kill bacteria. Light exposure has the greatest effect on these internal clocks.
“Since neutrophils are the first immune cells recruited to inflamed areas, our discovery has wide-ranging therapeutic implications for many inflammatory diseases,” said lead researcher Dr. Christopher Hall, Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology at the University of Auckland.
The findings pave the way for the development of treatments that target neutrophils’ circadian rhythms to strengthen their infection-fighting function.
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