Effects of sleep deprivation on human immune functions

Abstract

The effect of 40 h of wakefulness on a variety of immunological parameters in the peripheral blood from 10 normal male subjects was studied. Sleep deprivation led to enhanced nocturnal plasma interleukin 1-like and interleukin 2-like activities. The rise in nocturnal response of lymphocytes to pokeweed mitogen stimulation during a normal 24 h sleep-wake cycle was delayed by sleep deprivation, but the response to the phytohemagglutinin mitogen was unaffected. With resumed nocturnal sleep, there was a prolonged decline in natural killer cell activity (measured as spontaneous cytolytic activity for human tumor cells) and return of an increased response to pokeweed mitogen. The altered patterns in immune functions occurred independently of the cortisol circadian rhythm, which remained unchanged.

Leukocytosis and natural killer cell function parallel neurobehavioral fatigue induced by 64 hours of sleep deprivation.

“…Interestingly, we found that NK activity increased following two nights, but not one night, without sleep. This outcome is consistent with the results of Moldofsky et al (9), who reported that 40 h of sleep loss had no clear effects on NK activity, but in a subsequent study found that 64 h without sleep elevated NK activity during the early evening hours (10). The lag in NK activity in response to sleep loss may reflect the transient decreases in NK cell counts we observed after the first night without sleep.…”

“…Palmblad et al (7) found increased IFN production during and after 77 h of sleep loss. Moldofsky et al (9) found that 40 h of sleep deprivation enhanced IL-1-like and IL-2-like activities.…”

“…In a subsequent study of 12 men kept awake for 48 h, they reported decreased lymphocyte proliferation induced by PHA, but no changes in granulocyte adherence to nylon fibers or in granulocyte alkaline phosphatase activity (8). More recently, Moldofsky and colleagues (9) reported that 10 men sleep deprived for 40 h had elevated nocturnal levels of IL-1-and IL-2-like activity, a delayed nocturnal rise in lymphocyte proliferation to pokeweed mitogen (PWM),' but no change in in vitro natural killer cell (NK) activity. In a later study of 6 men deprived for 64 h, they replicated the delayed nocturnal rise in lymphocyte proliferation to PWM, and reported increased NK activity during the early evening hours (10).…”

An Occupational Health Study of Emergency Physicians in Japan: Health Assessment by Immune Variables (CD4, CD8, CD56, and NK Cell Activity) at the Beginning of Work

“…It is well known that NK cells defend against tumor cell growth and viral infections in human cellular immune systems, and that NK cell functions are variously influenced by workload [15][16][17] , mental health 20-22, 24, 25) , and life style [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50] . As for life style, it was reported that reduction of NK cell functions was associated with cigarette smoking [34][35][36][37][38] , shortened daily sleep 17) , disturbed sleep [39][40][41] , circadian rhythm (high activity in the morning and low activity at night) [42][43][44][45] , and excessive physical exercise 46,47) .…”

“…As for life style, it was reported that reduction of NK cell functions was associated with cigarette smoking [34][35][36][37][38] , shortened daily sleep 17) , disturbed sleep [39][40][41] , circadian rhythm (high activity in the morning and low activity at night) [42][43][44][45] , and excessive physical exercise 46,47) . Conversely, healthy life styles (i.e., good sleep, adequate physical exercise, and so on) were associated with increases of NK cell functions [48][49][50] .…”