Impairment of male reproductive function after sleep deprivation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of sleep loss on sexual behavior, hormone levels, sperm parameters, and testis-specific gene expression in male rats.


METHODS
Experimental research.


METHODS
Animal laboratory.


METHODS
Male adult Wistar-Hannover rats.


METHODS
Sexually experienced rats were subjected to paradoxic sleep deprivation (PSD) for 96 hours or sleep restriction (SR) for 21 days or kept in their home cage as control (CTRL).


METHODS
Sexual behavior, hormone levels, sperm parameters and expression of stress and nitric oxide-related genes were evaluated.


RESULTS
PSD significantly decreased sexual behavior compared with the CTRL group, whereas SR had no effect. The PSD group had significantly lower testosterone levels than the CTRL group. Both PSD and SR groups had lower sperm viabilities than the CTRL group. The decrease in the number of live sperm compared with the CTRL group was larger in the PSD group than in the SR group. Regarding testicular gene expression, both PSD and SR led to an increase of iNOS and hydroxysteroid 11β-dehydrogenase 1 expressions compared with the CTRL group. These changes were more pronounced in the PSD group. A significant increase in endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression was observed in the PSD groups compared with the CTRL group. No changes were observed in dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 and casein kinase 2β-polypeptide expressions.


CONCLUSIONS
Sleep loss can promote marked changes in the male reproductive system of rats, particularly affecting spermatic function in part by interfering in the testicular nitric oxide pathway.
Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
Tathiana A
TA
Alvarenga
Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
Camila
C
Hirotsu
Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiás, Brazil.
Renata
R
Mazaro-Costa
Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
Sergio
S
Tufik
Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: ml.andersen12@gmail.com.
Monica L
ML
Andersen
D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005298:Fertility; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D012890:Sleep; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat
Sleep restriction; eNOS; iNOS; male rat; nitric oxide; progesterone; reproduction; sexual behavior; sperm; testosterone