Effect of sleep deprivation on the inflammatory response in rats: A pilot study

Abstract

We aimed to identify the association between sleep deprivation and inflammatory response. Fourteen-week old male Wistar rats were used randomly assigned to a sleep deprivation [sleep deprivation (SD) group, n = 3] or a control [healthy sleep (HS) group, n = 3] group. To induce sleep deprivation, we used a modified multiple platform method. We examined serum interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), corticosterone, the number of inflammatory cells in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and the histopathology of the pulmonary parenchyma (peri-bronchiolar infiltration) between the SD and the HS groups. The SD group showed an increase in serum IL-1β, corticosterone, the number of neutrophil and eosinophil in BALF, and peri-bronchiolar infiltration of eosinophils compared to the HS group. However, serum IL-1β and the number of inflammatory cells in BALF, except for corticosterone and eosinophil in lung parenchyma, were statistically insignificant. We suggest that SD may be associated with worsening of allergic inflammatory response.