title: Chronic sleep restriction induces changes in the mandibular condylar cartilage of rats: roles of Akt, Bad and Caspase-3.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to observe changes in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of rats that had been subjected to chronic sleep restriction and to investigate whether Akt, Bad and Caspase3 play a role in the mechanism underlying the changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 60 in each): cage control group, large-platform control group, and sleep restriction group. Each group was divided into three subgroups (n = 20 in each) of three different time points (7, 14 and 21 days), respectively. The modified multiple platform method was used to induce chronic sleep restriction. The TMJ tissue histology was studied by staining with haematoxylin and eosin. The expression of Akt, p-Aktser473, Bad, p-Badser136 and Caspase3 proteins was detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. The expression of Akt, Bad and Caspase3 mRNAs was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the large-platform and cage control groups, condylar cartilage pathological alterations were found in the sleep restriction group. There were significantly decreased expression levels of Akt, p-Aktser473 and p-Badser136 and significantly increased expression levels of Bad and Caspase3 after sleep restriction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that sleep restriction may induce pathological alterations in the condylar cartilage of rats. Alterations in Akt, Bad and Caspase3 may be associated with the potential mechanism by which chronic sleep restriction influences the condylar cartilage.
authors.affiliation: College of Stomatology, Shandong University Number 44, Wen Hua Xi Lu, Jinan City 250012, Shandong Province, China ; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Number 44, Wen Hua Xi Lu, Jinan City 250012, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Jinan Military General Hospital Number 25, Shi Fan Lu, Jinan City 250031, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Gaoyi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Jinan Military General Hospital Number 25, Shi Fan Lu, Jinan City 250031, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Guoxiong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: College of Stomatology, Shandong University Number 44, Wen Hua Xi Lu, Jinan City 250012, Shandong Province, China ; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Number 44, Wen Hua Xi Lu, Jinan City 250012, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: College of Stomatology, Shandong University Number 44, Wen Hua Xi Lu, Jinan City 250012, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Huaqiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
keywords: Akt; Bad; Caspase3; Chronic sleep restriction; condylar cartilage