Prolonged sleep deprivation induces a cytokine-storm-like syndrome in mammals

Abstract

Most animals require sleep, and sleep loss induces serious pathophysiological consequences, including death. Previous experimental approaches for investigating sleep impacts in mice have been unable to persistently deprive animals of both rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) and non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS). Here, we report a “curling prevention by water” paradigm wherein mice remain awake 96% of the time. After 4 days of exposure, mice exhibit severe inflammation, and approximately 80% die. Sleep deprivation increases levels of prostaglandin D₂ (PGD₂) in the brain, and we found that elevated PGD₂ efflux across the blood-brain-barrier—mediated by ATP-binding cassette subfamily C4 transporter—induces both accumulation of circulating neutrophils and a cytokine-storm-like syndrome. Experimental disruption of the PGD₂/DP1 axis dramatically reduced sleep-deprivation-induced inflammation. Thus, our study reveals that sleep-related changes in PGD₂ in the central nervous system drive profound pathological consequences in the peripheral immune system.