DETERMINATION OF PRION PROTEIN (PrP) AND CHANGES IN FERTILITY HORMONES WITH SLEEP DEPRIVATION IN ALBINO RATS

DETERMINATION OF PRION PROTEIN (PrP) AND CHANGES IN FERTILITY HORMONES WITH SLEEP DEPRIVATION IN ALBINO RATS

ABSTRACT

Wistar albino rats (35 in all) were raised in the animal house at the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus and used in this study. The purpose of this study is to investigate the presence of prion (PrP) in Wistar albino rats, as well as the potential effects of sleep deprivation on PrP and reproductive hormone levels. Twenty-four (24) of the animals (15 females and 9 males) were successfully sleep-deprived for 14 days, while the remaining 11 were not. In addition to the PrPc commercial control, non-sleep-deprived rats were used as a control group for prion protein determination. The rats’ body weights were measured before and after sleep restriction. Serum samples were taken before and after sleep deprivation for the reproductive hormone assay, and brain tissues were removed from both sleep-deprived and non-sleep-deprived rats 14 days later for prion protein detection and histological investigations. Sleep deprivation was achieved using a single platform sleep deprivation approach, blood was collected via ocular venipuncture, rats were sacrificed via euthanasia, and hormone and prion protein measurement were accomplished using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay methods. A portion of the brain tissues were histologically prepared (sectioning and stained) using the Congo-red staining technique to investigate putative sleep deprivation-induced morphological alterations. The presence of PrP was confirmed by comparing the values of the two control groups and test samples. Sleep deprivation resulted in a substantial increase (p < 0.05) in PrP concentration when compared to the non-sleep deprived albino rats. Sex hormones, including testosterone and oestradiol, fell significantly (p < 0.05). After sleep deprivation, rats’ prolactin and thyroid stimulating hormone concentrations, as well as body weight, decreased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to normal control rats. When compared to the control group of albino rats, the concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone showed no significant (p > 0.05) alterations following sleep deprivation. Rats’ oestradiol, testosterone, prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormones, and body weight decreased, while FSH, LH, and brain tissues did not alter significantly. There were also no discernible alterations in brain tissue morphology following sleep deprivation. Finally, albino rats exhibited PrPCinduction following sleep deprivation. As a result, it is recommended that sleep deprivation be considered in infertility cases, and that additional research be conducted on Prion proteins in neuropathological cases.

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

Sleep is a natural condition of bodily rest that mammals, birds, many reptiles, amphibians, and fish exhibit. It is also a stage of unconsciousness in which a human or animal can be woken. In this state, the brain is more sensitive to internal than exterior inputs. In contrast, coma is a state of unconsciousness in which a person or animal cannot be awakened (Max, 2006).

Sleep is homeostatic, which means it is regulated by the body’s internal balance (Max 2006). It is seen as vital for maintaining health, sustaining life, restoring body and brain functions, and promoting neural-immune interaction (Aurell and Elqvist, 1985; Everson et al., 1989).

These are reflected in sleep’s involvement in memory coordination and instruction (Turner et al. 2007). Metabolic processes and carbohydrate storage are appropriately regulated thanks to its function in hormone activities such as growth hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, and prolactin (Bonnet and Arand, 2003; Everson and Read, 1995).

Sleep deprivation, defined as a general lack of sufficient sleep caused by a sleep condition, deliberate inducement, or torture, is harmful to one’s health if it lasts for an extended period of time.

It has been scientifically observed that prolonged sleep deprivation may result in aching muscles, blurred vision, and clinical depression, and constipation, dark circles under the eyes, daytime drowsiness, and decrease mental activity and concentration, delirium, dizziness, fainting, hallucination, hand tremor, headache, hypertension, irritability, loss of appetite, memory lapses or loss, nausea, nystagmus, pallor, psychosis-like symptoms, severely yawning, sleep paralysis