NGFI-A expression in the rat brain after sleep deprivation.
The effects of total sleep deprivation (SD) on the expression of the immediate-early gene NGFI-A were studied in the rat brain by in situ hybridization. Rats were manually sleep-deprived for 3, 6, 12 and 24 h starting at light onset (08:00 h) and for 12 h starting at dark onset (20:00 h). SD performed during the day induced a marked increase in NGFI-A mRNA levels with respect to sleep controls in many cerebrocortical areas and caudate-putamen, which was most evident after 6 h SD. A decrease was seen in hippocampus and thalamus, particularly after 12 h SD. Rats sleep-deprived for 12 h during the night showed an increase in NGFI-A expression in some cortical areas while rats sleep-deprived for 24 h showed few changes with respect to controls. The pattern of NGFI-A expression after forced wakefulness showed some differences from that observed after spontaneous wakefulness [M. Pompeiano, C. Cirelli and G. Tononi, Immediate early genes in spontaneous wakefulness and sleep: expression of c-fos and NGFI-A mRNA and protein, J. Sleep Res., 3 (1994) 80-96]. These observations are discussed with respect to the functional consequences of wakefulness in specific brain areas.
Pompeiano
M
M
Istituto di Chimica Biologica, Universita di Pisa, Italy. mapo@dfb.unipi.it
Cirelli
C
C
Ronca-Testoni
S
S
Tononi
G
G
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D015870:Gene Expression; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early / Q000235:genetics*; D016762:Genes, fos / Q000235:genetics; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; C486110:Egr1 protein, rat; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors