Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis suppresses sleep in rabbits

1994 ◽  
Vol 266 (1) ◽  
pp. R151-R157 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Kapas ◽  
M. Shibata ◽  
M. Kimura ◽  
J. M. Krueger

The effects of N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, on spontaneous and interleukin-1 (IL-1)-induced sleep were examined in rabbits. Animals were injected intracerebroventricularly or intravenously during the light phase with vehicle, L-NAME, IL-1, or the combination of L-NAME and IL-1. Injection of L-NAME (5 mg icv and 100 mg/kg iv) suppressed both non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) and rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) for 4-6 h. The sleep-suppressive effects are unlikely due to pressor responses to L-NAME because administration of L-NAME (5 mg icv) produced only a transient (3-4 min) slight increase in systemic blood pressure. Injection of IL-1 (20 ng icv) elicited fever, suppressed REMS, and increased NREMS for 6 h. NREMS was suppressed for 3 h after the combined intracerebroventricular injections of 5 mg L-NAME and 20 ng IL-1 and was elevated during postinjection hours 4-6. Administration of IL-1 (30 ng/kg iv) increased NREMS and brain temperature for 2 h. After the combined injection of IL-1 and L-NAME (100 mg/kg), NREMS was significantly suppressed during postinjection hours 1-5. It is not known whether the interactions between the sleep-suppressive effects of L-NAME and the NREMS-promoting effects of IL-1 are specific, being mediated via a common mechanism, or whether they are additive, being mediated via independent mechanisms. The pyrogenic and REMS-suppressive actions of either intracerebroventricularly or intravenously injected IL-1 were not affected by L-NAME.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1992 ◽  
Vol 263 (3) ◽  
pp. R703-R707 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Kapas ◽  
J. M. Krueger

The enhanced sleep, fever, and anorexia experienced during general infections are attributed to the increased production of cytokines. Cytokines such as interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) have characteristic somnogenic, pyrogenic, and anorectic effects. TNF-beta is closely related to TNF-alpha, and they share common receptors. The effects of TNF-beta on sleep-wake activity, brain temperature (Tbr), and food intake were, however, heretofore unknown. We injected 0.5-200 ng TNF-beta into rabbits intracerebroventricularly (icv) in the light period, and the electroencephalogram, movement, and Tbr were recorded for 6 h from rabbits. The highest dose, 200 ng TNF-beta, induced increases in non-rapid-eye-movement sleep and decreases in rapid-eye-movement sleep accompanied with biphasic febrile responses. Icv injection of 100 ng TNF-beta at dark onset suppressed 12-h and 24-h food intake in rats. These data suggest to us that TNF-beta may belong to the group of endogenous pyrogens/sleep factors.


1991 ◽  
Vol 260 (1) ◽  
pp. R52-R58 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Opp ◽  
F. Obal ◽  
J. M. Krueger

Rats received various doses of interleukin 1 (IL-1) (range, 0.5-25.0 ng) or pyrogen-free saline intracerebroventricularly during the rest (light) and the active (dark) cycles of the day, and sleep-wake activity and brain temperature were determined for 6 h. Low doses of IL-1 (0.5 ng at night, 2.5 ng during the day) increased both the duration of non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS) and electroencephalogram (EEG) slow-wave activity during NREMS episodes. Increasing doses of IL-1 had divergent effects on NREMS duration and EEG slow-wave activity, and the direction of the changes depended on the diurnal cycle. Thus NREMS duration was promoted at night and EEG slow-wave amplitudes during the day, whereas NREMS duration during the day and EEG slow-wave amplitudes at night were suppressed after higher doses of IL-1. High doses of IL-1 also induced decreases in rapid-eye-movement sleep during both phases of the day. Each dose of IL-1 that promoted NREMS also tended to increase brain temperature. These results demonstrate that IL-1 promotes NREMS in the rat. However, unlike previously reported findings in rabbits, the circadian rhythm of sleep regulation strongly interferes with the sleep-promoting activity of IL-1 in rats.


1989 ◽  
Vol 257 (3) ◽  
pp. R528-R535 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Opp ◽  
F. Obal ◽  
J. M. Krueger

Interleukin 1 (IL-1), a key mediator of the acute phase response, stimulates hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) release. The CRF-adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-glucocorticoid axis is a feedback for peripheral production and action of IL-1. Effects of intracerebroventricularly administered CRF on rabbit sleepwake activity, brain temperature (Tbr), and behavior and on the central effects of IL-1 [fever and excess non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS)] were studied. CRF (0.1-1.25 micrograms) dose dependently decreased NREMS and enhanced wakefulness. IL-1-induced excess NREMS was inhibited by CRF. Rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) suppressed by IL-1 was partially restored by 0.1 or 0.5 microgram CRF, although CRF itself did not promote REMS. Behavioral effects of intracerebroventricular CRF were relatively small, although 1.25 micrograms abolished ingestion for 3 h, suppressed rearing behavior, and increased sitting behavior. Tbr increased after CRF injection alone. After IL-1 pretreatment, however, 0.1 and 0.5, but not 1.25, micrograms CRF reduced IL-1-induced fever after several hours. These results implicate IL-1-induced CRF release as part of a negative-feedback mechanism attenuating not only peripheral IL-1 actions but also its central effects.


1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (6) ◽  
pp. R914-R922 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Opp ◽  
F. Obal ◽  
J. M. Krueger

Changes in rabbit sleep-wake activity, brain temperature (Tbr), and behavior were studied after intracerebroventricular injections of a putative endogenous antipyretic, alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), and of an endogenous pyrogen, interleukin 1 (IL 1-beta). alpha-MSH (0.1-50.0 micrograms) dose dependently increased wakefulness (W) and decreased Tbr, non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS), and rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS). NREMS was more sensitive than REMS to the suppressive effects of low alpha-MSH doses. EEG slow-wave activity in NREMS decreased after alpha-MSH treatment. alpha-MSH elicited stretching, yawning, and signs of sexual excitation. IL 1 (20 and 40 ng) induced fever and excess NREMS. alpha-MSH administered 30 min after IL 1 (40 or 20 ng IL 1 + 0.1, 0.5, or 5.0 micrograms alpha-MSH) significantly attenuated IL 1-induced fever and excess NREMS. IL 1 failed to alter the behavioral effects of alpha-MSH. Despite alpha-MSHs effect on rabbit behavior, total motor activity time did not increase, indicating that increased W after alpha-MSH cannot be attributed to behavioral activation. These results suggest that, besides acting as an endogenous antipyretic, alpha-MSH might be involved in regulation of IL 1-induced sleep.


2004 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lichao Chen ◽  
Deborah Duricka ◽  
Scott Nelson ◽  
Sanjib Mukherjee ◽  
Stewart G. Bohnet ◽  
...  

Influenza viral infection induces increases in non-rapid eye movement sleep and decreases in rapid eye movement sleep in normal mice. An array of cytokines is produced during the infection, and some of them, such as IL-1β and TNF-α, are well-defined somnogenic substances. It is suggested that nitric oxide (NO) may mediate the sleep-promoting effects of these cytokines. In this study, we use mice with targeted disruptions of either the neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) or the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) gene, commonly referred to as nNOS or iNOS knockouts (KOs), to investigate sleep changes after influenza viral challenge. We report that the magnitude of viral-induced non-rapid eye movement sleep responses in both nNOS KOs and iNOS KOs was less than that of their respective controls. In addition, the duration of rapid eye movement sleep in nNOS KO mice did not decrease compared with baseline values. All strains of mice had similar viral titers and cytokine gene expression profiles in the lungs. Virus was not isolated from the brains of any strain. However, gene expression in the brain stem differed between nNOS KOs and their controls: mRNA for the interferon-induced gene 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthase 1a was elevated in nNOS KOs relative to their controls at 15 h, and IL-1β mRNA was elevated in nNOS KOs relative to their controls at 48 h. Our results suggest that NO synthesized by both nNOS and iNOS plays a role in virus-induced sleep changes and that nNOS may modulate cytokine expression in the brain.


1990 ◽  
Vol 259 (3) ◽  
pp. R439-R446 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Obal ◽  
M. Opp ◽  
A. B. Cady ◽  
L. Johannsen ◽  
A. E. Postlethwaite ◽  
...  

The somnogenic activity of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) has previously been established. Interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) is a distinct gene product that possesses similar biological activities. We report here that IL-1 alpha, like IL-1 beta, has the capacity in rabbits to enhance non-rapid-eye-movement sleep, electroencephalographic slow-wave (0.5-3.5 Hz) voltages, and body temperatures and to inhibit rapid-eye-movement sleep. After IL-1 alpha, sleep remained episodic, and at the doses used no abnormal behavior was observed. Several synthetic IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta peptides were also tested in vivo for somnogenic and pyrogenic activity and in vitro for their ability to stimulate prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by fibroblasts and proliferation of T-cells. Only IL-1 beta-(208-240) enhanced non-rapid-eye-movement sleep and body temperature, although both IL-1 beta-(208-240) and IL-1 alpha-(223-250) stimulated PGE2 production; both of these peptides failed to stimulate T-cell production. In contrast, four other IL-1 peptides were nonpyrogenic and somnogenically inactive yet stimulated T-cell proliferation. We conclude that the components of IL-1 required for sleep and temperature activities are different from those required for T-cell proliferation.


2003 ◽  
Vol 285 (1) ◽  
pp. R99-R109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Yoshida ◽  
Takeshi Kubota ◽  
James M. Krueger

Sleep is regulated in part by the brain cytokine network, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). TNF-α activates the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB, which in turn promotes transcription of many genes, including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). COX-2 is in the brain and is an enzyme responsible for production of prostaglandin D2. The hypothesis that central COX-2 plays a role in the regulation of spontaneous and TNF-α-induced sleep was investigated. Three doses (0.5, 5, and 50 μg) of NS-398, a highly selective COX-2 inhibitor, were injected intracerebroventricularly. The highest dose decreased non-rapid eye movement sleep. The intermediate and highest doses decreased electroencephalographic slow-wave activity; the greatest reduction occurred after 50 μg of NS-398 during the first 3-h postinjection period. Rapid eye movement sleep and brain temperature were not altered by any dose of NS-398. Pretreatment of rabbits with 5 or 50 μg of NS-398 blocked the TNF-α-induced increases in non-rapid eye movement sleep, electroencephalographic slow-wave activity, and brain temperature. These data suggest that COX-2 is involved in the regulation of spontaneous and TNF-α-induced sleep.


1995 ◽  
Vol 78 (5) ◽  
pp. 1688-1698 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. W. Saupe ◽  
C. A. Smith ◽  
K. S. Henderson ◽  
J. A. Dempsey

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of changing blood pressure in the carotid sinus (Pcs) on ventilatory output during wakefulness and non-rapid-eye-movement sleep in unanesthetized dogs. Eight dogs were chronically instrumented so that ventilation, heart rate, and blood pressure could be measured while pressure in the isolated carotid sinus was rapidly changed by means of an extracorporeal perfusion circuit. Raising Pcs 35–75 mmHg consistently reduced ventilation 15–40% in a dose-response fashion, with little or no further diminution in minute ventilation as Pcs was further increased > 75 mmHg above control level. This decrease in minute ventilation was immediate, due primarily to a decrease in tidal volume, and was sustained over the 20-s period of elevated Pcs. Increases in Pcs also caused immediate sustained reductions in systemic blood pressure and heart rate, both of which also fell in a dose-dependent fashion. The ventilatory and systemic cardiovascular responses to increased Pcs were the same during wakefulness and non-rapid-eye-movement sleep. Decreasing Pcs 40–80 mmHg caused a sudden carotid chemoreceptor-mediated hyperpnea that was eliminated by hyperoxia. We conclude that increasing Pcs causes a reflex inhibition of ventilation and that this reflex may play a role in sleep-disordered breathing.


1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (4) ◽  
pp. R1063-R1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kimura ◽  
S. Q. Zhang ◽  
S. Inoue

Sleep disorder during the course of pregnancy has been recently recognized in humans. However, the underlying mechanism of pregnancy-associated sleep disorder remains undetermined, and sleep changes even during normal pregnancy have not been fully understood. To describe the effects of pregnancy on sleep, sleep-wake patterns before and after fertile mating were compared in an animal model. Baseline recordings of sleep and brain temperature were made throughout a normal 4-day estrous cycle in female rats. After the rats became pregnant, the recordings continued across the entire pregnant period. Compared with baseline sleep before mating, both non-rapid eye movement sleep and rapid eye movement sleep increased significantly from the first night of pregnancy. Although rapid eye movement sleep returned to the baseline level from midpregnancy, nocturnal non-rapid eye movement sleep stayed enhanced during the entire pregnant period. Daytime sleep fluctuated toward the end of pregnancy. Brain temperature was elevated during the early period of pregnancy but did not correlate with enhanced sleep. The results suggest that physiological changes in different stages of pregnancy may contribute to the regulation of maternal sleep and temperature.


1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (6) ◽  
pp. R1365-R1373 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. O. Gao ◽  
P. Franken ◽  
I. Tobler ◽  
A. A. Borbely

To examine the relationship between sleep and brain temperature in the rat, the vigilance states, spectral power density of the electroencephalogram (EEG), hypothalamic temperature (T(hy)), and cortical temperature (Tcr) were recorded for 3 days. A 1-day rise of ambient temperature from 23 to 30 degrees C did not affect the percentage of waking, non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS), and rapid eye movement sleep (REMS), but increased EEG slow-wave activity in NREMS in the 12-h dark period. T(hy) was invariably higher than Tcr, but at 30 degrees C the difference diminished because of a rise in Tcr. In contrast to Tcr, T(hy) was only slightly increased at 30 degrees C and only during sleep and in the dark period. Although the temperatures changed largely in parallel at vigilance state transitions, Tcr rose more rapidly than T(hy) at NREMS-REMS transitions and more slowly at NREMS-waking transitions. T(hy) declined more rapidly than Tcr at waking-NREMS transitions and more slowly at REMS-NREMS transitions. The results are consistent with a central role of the hypothalamus in the activation and deactivation of the waking state.


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