Clocking immunity: circadian modulation of NK cells and emerging timing perspectives
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By
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Kun Liu
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Xuanying Lv
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Wen Wen
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June 4, 2026
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Objective:
To examine circadian rhythmicity in NK-cell number and function under various physiological and pathological conditions.
Key Findings:
- NK cells exhibit day-night variation in number and effector function.
- Circadian timing influences NK-cell counts and activity, linked to hormonal regulation.
- Acute sleep loss can raise NK activity, while multi-day sleep deprivation lowers it.
- Shift work and irregular schedules reduce NK activity and affect transcriptional programs.
- Circadian effects on NK cells vary across species, sampling schedules, and functional endpoints.
Interpretation:
Limitations:
- Variability in findings across species and study designs.
- Differences in circadian phase definitions and NK-cell readouts.
- Need for longitudinal, high-frequency sampling to better understand NK-cell dynamics.
Conclusion:
Circadian effects on NK cells should be interpreted in a phase-, context-, and readout-dependent manner.
