Editorial: Epigenetic Basis of Circadian Rhythm and Metabolism

Rasime Kalkan^1,2*Peter S Reinach³Zachary Harvanek⁴Dongsheng Yan³

• ¹European University of Lefka, Lefka, Türkiye
• ²Lefke Avrupa Universitesi, Lefke, Cyprus
• ³Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
• ⁴Yale University, New Haven, United States

There is an interaction between epigenetic modifications and circadian rhythms (Aguilar-Arnal & Sassone-Corsi, 2013; Nam et al., 2020). Mutations or epigenetic alterations on core circadian clock genes (BMAL1, CLOCK, CRY, PER) can cause alterations in the regulation of the brain, heart, muscle, liver, adipose tissue, pancreas, intestine, and, immune system, glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, the risk of hospitalized respiratory infections Zhu and colleagues showed that sleep behaviours, including sleep duration, insomnia, chronotype, and daytime sleepiness, were also linked to respiratory infection risk, with healthier sleep behaviours associated with lower risks. Chronotype significantly modified the relationship between Hb and respiratory infection risk, with late chronotypes showing a stronger association between abnormal Hb levels and respiratory infection risk. Their study highlights the importance of maintaining balanced Hb levels and healthy sleep behaviors to reduce the risk of respiratory infections. However, it notes limitations such as reliance on self-reported sleep data, single Hb measurements, and the focus on hospitalized cases rather than community infections (Zhu et al.,2025).In this Research Topic, Gu and colleagues investigated the relationship between Circadian Syndrome (CircS) and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) with psoriasis, comparing their predictive abilities using data from the NHANES surveys (2005-2006 and 2009-2014). They showed CircS provides a more comprehensive framework for understanding psoriasis risk compared to MetS, emphasizing the importance of circadian rhythm disruptions and lifestyle factors in psoriasis development. The study highlights the need to monitor CircS components -particularly elevated blood pressure, depressive symptoms, and elevated waist circumference -to better manage psoriasis risk. (Gu et al., 2025). This Research Topic brings together studies investigating the epigenetic regulation of circadian rhythms and metabolism in a variety of biological systems. We seek to discuss new mechanisms, molecular interactions, and translational insights that continue to advance our understanding of how the epigenome regulates temporal and metabolic physiology. Together, these contributions will advance the time-metabolism relationship and open new avenues for chronotherapy and epigenetic-based interventions in metabolic disease. This Research Topic is intended to provide context and provoke further work in the field of epigenetics and circadian rhythm.