Effect of sleep deprivation on rhythms of clock gene expression and melatonin in humans

During one night of total sleep deprivation, BMAL1 expression was suppressed in young males.

• Plasma melatonin levels increased in response to sleep deprivation.
• Cortisol levels and the expression of 12 genes were measured over a 48-hour period.
• The expression of the heat shock gene HSPA1B was induced during sleep deprivation.
• Other high-amplitude clock gene rhythms, including PER1-3 and REV-ERBα, were not affected by sleep deprivation.
• The findings suggest that acute sleep deprivation may compromise the core clock mechanism in peripheral oscillators.

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