Circadian and circannual timescales interact to generate seasonal changes in immune function
Abstract
Annual changes in day length enhance or suppress diverse aspects of immune function, giving rise to seasonal cycles of illness and mortality. The daily light-dark cycle also entrains circadian rhythms in immunity. Most published reports on immunological seasonality rely on measurements or interventions performed only at one point in the day. Because there can be no perfect matching of circadian phase across photoperiods of different duration, the manner in which these timescales interact to affect immunity is not understood. We examined whether photoperiodic changes in immune function reflect phenotypic changes that persist throughout the daily cycle, or merely reflect photoperiodic shifts in the circadian phase alignment of immunological rhythms. Diurnal rhythms in blood leukocyte trafficking, infection induced sickness responses, and delayed-type hypersensitivity skin inflammatory responses were examined at high-frequency sampling intervals (every 3 h) in Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) following immunological adaptation to summer or winter photoperiods. Photoperiod profoundly enhanced or suppressed immune function, in a trait-specific manner, and we were unable to identify a phase alignment of diurnal waveforms which eliminated these enhancing and suppressing effects of photoperiod. These results support the hypothesis that seasonal timescales affect immunity via mechanisms independent of circadian entrainment of the immunological circadian waveform.
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Even in the modern era of artificial light, the interplay between circadian and seasonal timing remains biologically meaningful.
“These findings highlight that, even in the modern era of artificial light, the interplay between circadian and seasonal timing remains biologically meaningful (Onishi et al., 2020).”
From Seasonal Variation in Sleep, Respiratory, and Cardiovascular Parameters Assessed by a Wearable Device (2026) · cites this paper as Onishi et al., 2020
The central circadian pacemaker synchronizes with the 24-h day via light-dark cycles, but longer-term photoperiod shifts across seasons (circannual rhythms) also modulate physiological systems.
“The central circadian pacemaker synchronizes with the 24-h day via light-dark cycles, but longerterm photoperiod shifts across seasons (circannual rhythms) also modulate physiological systems (Swaab et al., 1996;Onishi et al., 2020).”
From Seasonal Variation in Sleep, Respiratory, and Cardiovascular Parameters Assessed by a Wearable Device (2026) · cites this paper as Onishi et al., 2020
Cites
Cortisol and epinephrine control opposing circadian rhythms in T cell subsets
Dimitrov, S., Benedict, C., Heutling, D., Westermann, J., Born, J., & Lange, T. (2009) · Blood · doi:10.1182/blood-2008-11-190769 · Cited by 368 · see citing works
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Vazquez, I. M., Palomino, M., & DelRosso, L. M. (2026) · Journal of Biological Rhythms · doi:10.1177/07487304261433622
- Authors
- Onishi, K. G., Maneval, A. C., Cable, E. C., Tuohy, M. C., Scasny, A. J., Sterina, E., Love, J. A., Riggle, J. P., Malamut, L. K., Mukerji, A., Novo, J. S., Appah-Sampong, A., Gary, J. B., & Prendergast, B. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Chicago (US)
- Corresponding author
- Onishi, Kenneth G.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-01
- Volume
- 83
- Pages
- 33-43
- ISSN
- 0889-1591 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2963138285
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 1.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Brain Behavior and Immunity (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (AI-67406)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Keywords
- photoperiod, circadian rhythm, circannual rhythm, immune function, leukocyte migration, sickness behavior, delayed-type hypersensitivity, skin inflammation, Siberian hamster, circadian entrainment, immune adaptation
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Animals, Circadian Rhythm, Cricetinae, Immunity, Male, Seasons, Phodopus, Photoperiod
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