Evidence mapPaperPMID 41597267Full record

ArticleCells2026

Synchronizing the Liver Clock: Time-Restricted Feeding Aligns Rhythmic Gene Expression in Key Metabolic Pathways.

Shiyan Liu, Feng Zhang, Yiming Wang, Kailin Zhuo, Yingying Zhao

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cells, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Shiyan LiuDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.ORCID 0009-0008-1958-505X
Feng ZhangDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.ORCID 0009-0005-5407-1503
Yiming WangDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.ORCID 0009-0003-6378-1131
Kailin ZhuoDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
Yingying ZhaoDepartment of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.

Funding

Shenzhen Science Technology and Innovation Commission JCYJ20210324094010029Shenzhen Science Technology and Innovation Commission JCYJ20220531100811026
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely linked to metabolic syndrome and circadian rhythm disruption, yet the mechanisms by which lifestyle interventions restore circadian organization remain incompletely understood. In this study, we employed a stringent 3 h time-restricted feeding (TRF) regimen in a mouse model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced metabolic dysfunction. TRF markedly improved metabolic outcomes, including lipid accumulation, glucose tolerance, and behavioral and physiological rhythms. Importantly, through transcriptomic profiling using RNA sequencing, we found that TRF induced circadian rhythmicity in previously arrhythmic hepatic genes. This approach revealed that TRF promotes transcriptional synchronization within key metabolic pathways. Genes involved in autophagy, fatty acid metabolism, and protein catabolism exhibited coherent peak expression at defined time windows, suggesting that TRF temporally restructures gene networks to enhance metabolic efficiency. This intra-pathway synchronization likely minimizes energy waste and enables cells to execute specialized functions in a temporally optimized manner. Together, our findings identify temporal reorganization of metabolic pathways as a mechanistic basis for the benefits of TRF, providing new insight into circadian-based strategies for managing metabolic disease.

Indexed as

Circadian ClocksCircadian RhythmFastingGene Expression RegulationLiverMetabolic Networks and PathwaysAnimalsDiet, High-FatFeeding BehaviorIntermittent FastingMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLcircadian rhythmlivermetabolic disordersobesitytime restricted feeding

Identifiers

PMID41597267
PMCPMC12839592

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.