Acute pancreatitis (AP) is sudden inflammation of the pancreas which can cause organ failure and death, and with no targeted therapies in the clinic, there is an imperative to identify new potential avenues for therapeutics discovery. This exploratory study investigates the potential role of circadian rhythms in AP pathogenesis. We integrated and analysed multiomics data, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, and clinical laboratory measurements, synthesised from peripheral whole blood samples obtained from AP patients. Our exploratory findings identified a potential association between circadian rhythm dysregulation and disease severity. Specifically, we observed that the rhythmic expression of circadian genes across a 24-h period, such as the circadian locomotor output cycles kaput ( CLOCK ) and the brain and muscle ARNT-Like 1 ( BMAL1 ) gene, and a specific subset of metabolites may be altered in AP. These exploratory results provide a foundation for future investigations into the potential therapeutic implications of targeting circadian rhythms in AP. Additional studies are required to validate these findings and to elucidate the specific mechanisms involved. • Acute pancreatitis has no targeted therapies, driving the search for new approaches. • Study explores link between circadian rhythm dysregulation and AP severity. • Multiomics analysis reveals altered CLOCK and BMAL1 gene expression in AP patients. • Certain metabolites show 24-h rhythmic changes potentially tied to disease. • Findings may guide future research on circadian-based AP therapeutic strategies.
Waddell et al. (Sun,) studied this question.