Interleukin-1 beta and beta-endorphin circadian rhythms are inversely related in normal and stress-altered sleep.
Normal sleep is associated to physiological nocturnal rises in Interleukin 1 beta (IL 1 beta) secretion. The 24 h pattern of IL 1 beta, beta-Endorphin (beta-EPH), ACTH and cortisol (F) production was evaluated in four male healthy volunteers. Two subjects were unable to sleep, due to the stress of the experiment; in these cases, no detectable plasma IL 1 beta secretion, both diurnal and nocturnal, was present, beta-EPH plasma levels were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than in the subjects who slept regularly and, in one case, increased F plasma levels were also reported. A strong negative correlation between IL 1 beta and beta-EPH plasma levels was present in all the cases. In conclusion, stress-induced sleep alterations might deeply affect both diurnal and nocturnal IL 1 beta plasma secretion, probably due to the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) activation, and beta-EPH might be the reliable marker of the stress-induced HPAA activation level.
Covelli
V
V
2nd Medical School, University of Naples, Italy.
Massari
F
F
Fallacara
C
C
Munno
I
I
Jirillo
E
E
Savastano
S
S
Tommaselli
A P
AP
Lombardi
G
G
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*
D007375:Interleukin-1; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone