Sleep deprivation increases mortality in female mice bearing Ehrlich ascitic tumor.

OBJECTIVES: Sleep deprivation is a growing public health hazard, yet it is still under-recognized. Sleep disorders and disruption of sleep patterns may compromise the immune function and adversely affect host resistance to infectious diseases. This is a particular risk in cancer patients, who report a high frequency of sleep disturbances. The present study investigated the effects of sleep deprivation on the development of Ehrlich ascitic tumors (EAT) in female BALB/c mice. Our study also evaluated whether EAT would induce alterations in sleep pattern. Spleen lymphocyte cell populations and mortality were also quantified. METHODS: Female BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally inoculated with EAT cells. Immediately after the inoculation procedure, animals were sleep deprived for 72 h. Ten or 15 days after inoculation, the number of tumoral cells was quantified and the lymphocytic cell population in the spleen was characterized by flow cytometry. In addition, the effect of sleep deprivation on EAT-induced mortality was quantified and the influence of EAT on sleep patterns was determined. RESULTS: Sleep deprivation did not potentiate EAT growth, but it significantly increased mortality. Additionally, both EAT and sleep deprivation decreased frequencies of splenic CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ cells. With respect to sleep patterns, EAT significantly enhanced paradoxical sleep time. CONCLUSIONS: Although sleep deprivation did not potentiate EAT growth, it decreased the survival of female tumor-bearing mice.