Effects of exercise on brain and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers induced by total sleep deprivation in rats

Background: physical exercise induces neuroprotection through anti-inflammatory effects and total sleep deprivation is reported an inflammatory process. we examined whether 7 weeks of exercise training attenuates markers of inflammation during total sleep deprivation (24-h wakefulness) in the rat brain and periphery. methods: four groups of 10 rats were investigated: sedentary control,sedentary sleep-deprived,exercised control,and exercised sleep-deprived. sleep deprivation and exercise training were induced using slowly rotating wheels and a motorized treadmill. we examined mrna expression of pro-inflammatory (il-1β,tnf-α,and il-6) cytokine-related genes using real-time pcr,and protein levels in the hippocampus and frontal cortex,as well as circulating concentrations. results: compared to sedentary control rats,hippocampal and cortical il-1β mrna expressions in sedentary sleep-deprived rats were up-regulated (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 respectively). at the protein level,hippocampal il-1β and tnf-α and cortical il-6 contents were higher in sedentary sleep-deprived rats (p < 0.001,p < 0.05,p < 0.05,respectively). peripherally,tnf-α,il-6 and norepinephrine concentrations were higher in sedentary sleep-deprived rats compared to sedentary control (p < 0.01,p < 0.001,p < 0.01,respectively). exercise training reduced the sleep deprivation-induced hippocampal il-1β increases (mrna expression and protein content) (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001),and tnf-α content (p < 0.001). at the periphery,exercise reduced sleep deprivation-induced increase of il-6 concentration (p < 0.05) without effect on tnf-α and norepinephrine. conclusions: we demonstrate that a 7-week exercise training program before acute total sleep deprivation prevents pro-inflammatory responses in the rat hippocampus,particularly the il-1β cytokine at the gene expression level and protein content. © 2015 chennaoui et al.