Rapid Eye Movement sleep deprivation of rat generates ROS in the hepatocytes and makes them more susceptible to oxidative stress

BACKGROUND Rapid Eye Movement sleep deprivation (REMSD) of rats causes inflammation of the liver and apoptotic cell death of neurons and hepatocytes. Studies also suggest that REM sleep deprivation can cause muscle as well as cardiac injury and neurodegenerative diseases. Objective and methods The aim of this research was to determine whether REM sleep deprivation of rats would increase the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the hepatocytes and create oxidative stress in them. We selectively deprived the rats for REM sleep using the standard flower pot method. Results We observed that when rats were subjected to REM sleep deprivation, the levels of ROS in their hepatocytes increased ~184.33% compared to large platform control (LPC) group by day 9 of deprivation, but it returned towards normal level (~49.27%) after recovery sleep for 5 days. Nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression and protein levels as determined by real-time PCR and western blot analysis respectively were found to be elevated in hepatocytes of REM sleep deprived rats as compared to the LPC group. The level of nitric oxide (NO) in the hepatocytes of REMSD rats also increased by ~404.40% as compared to the LPC group but sleep recovery for 5 days normalized the effect (~135.35% compared to LPC group). We used a large platform control group as a reference group to compare with the REM sleep deprived group as the effect on the hepatocytes of both LPC group and cage control groups were not significantly different. Discussion We have analyzed the oxidative stress generated in the hepatocytes of rats due to REM sleep deprivation and further consequences of it. REMS deprivation not only increased the levels of ROS in the hepatocytes but also induced iNOS and NO in them. REM sleep deprived hepatocytes became more susceptible to oxidative stresses on further exposures. Furthermore, our study has great pathological and physiological.