| Meeting Report: The Role of Environmental Lighting and Circadian Disruption in Cancer and Other Diseases Richard G. Stevens,1 David E. Blask,2 George C. Brainard,3 Johnni Hansen,4 Steven W. Lockley,5
Ignacio Provencio,6 Mark S. Rea,7 and Leslie Reinlib8 1University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA; 2Bassett Research Institute, Cooperstown, New York, USA; 3Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; 4Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark; 5Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; 6Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; 7Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA; 8Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA Abstract
Light, including artificial light, has a range of effects on human physiology and behavior and can therefore alter human physiology when inappropriately timed. One example of potential light-induced disruption is the effect of light on circadian organization, including the production of several hormone rhythms. Changes in light–dark exposure (e.g., by nonday occupation or transmeridian travel) shift the timing of the circadian system such that internal rhythms can become desynchronized from both the external environment and internally with each other, impairing our ability to sleep and wake at the appropriate times and compromising physiologic and metabolic processes. Light can also have direct acute effects on neuroendocrine systems, for example, in suppressing melatonin synthesis or elevating cortisol production that may have untoward long-term consequences. For these reasons, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences convened a workshop of a diverse group of scientists to consider how best to conduct research on possible connections between lighting and health. According to the participants in the workshop, there are three broad areas of research effort that need to be addressed. First are the basic biophysical and molecular genetic mechanisms for phototransduction for circadian, neuroendocrine, and neurobehavioral regulation. Second are the possible physiologic consequences of disrupting these circadian regulatory processes such as on hormone production, particularly melatonin, and normal and neoplastic tissue growth dynamics. Third are effects of light-induced physiologic disruption on disease occurrence and prognosis, and how prevention and treatment could be improved by application of this knowledge. Key words: breast cancer, circadian rhythms, clock genes, lighting, melatonin, phototransduction, pineal gland. Environ Health Perspect 115:1357–1362 (2007) . doi:10.1289/ehp.10200 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 14 June 2007]
Address correspondence to R.G. Stevens, Department of Community Medicine, UConn Health Center, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030-6325 USA. Telephone: (860) 679-5475. Fax: (860) 679-5464. E-mail: bugs@uchc.edu This work was supported by NIEHS and NIEHS grant ES11659. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. Received 28 February 2007 ; accepted 14 June 2007.
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