Neurofibromin 1 mediates sleep depth in Drosophila.

Neural regulation of sleep and metabolic homeostasis are critical in many aspects of human health. Despite extensive epidemiological evidence linking sleep dysregulation with obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, little is known about the neural and molecular basis for the integration of sleep...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Elizabeth B Brown, Jiwei Zhang, Evan Lloyd, Elizabeth Lanzon, Valentina Botero, Seth Tomchik, Alex C Keene
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-12-01
Series:PLoS Genetics
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1011049
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849388911294414848
author Elizabeth B Brown
Jiwei Zhang
Evan Lloyd
Elizabeth Lanzon
Valentina Botero
Seth Tomchik
Alex C Keene
author_facet Elizabeth B Brown
Jiwei Zhang
Evan Lloyd
Elizabeth Lanzon
Valentina Botero
Seth Tomchik
Alex C Keene
author_sort Elizabeth B Brown
collection DOAJ
description Neural regulation of sleep and metabolic homeostasis are critical in many aspects of human health. Despite extensive epidemiological evidence linking sleep dysregulation with obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, little is known about the neural and molecular basis for the integration of sleep and metabolic function. The RAS GTPase-activating gene Neurofibromin (Nf1) has been implicated in the regulation of sleep and metabolic rate, raising the possibility that it serves to integrate these processes, but the effects on sleep consolidation and physiology remain poorly understood. A key hallmark of sleep depth in mammals and flies is a reduction in metabolic rate during sleep. Here, we examine multiple measures of sleep quality to determine the effects of Nf1 on sleep-dependent changes in arousal threshold and metabolic rate. Flies lacking Nf1 fail to suppress metabolic rate during sleep, raising the possibility that loss of Nf1 prevents flies from integrating sleep and metabolic state. Sleep of Nf1 mutant flies is fragmented with a reduced arousal threshold in Nf1 mutants, suggesting Nf1 flies fail to enter deep sleep. The effects of Nf1 on sleep can be localized to a subset of neurons expressing the GABAA receptor Rdl. Sleep loss has been associated with changes in gut homeostasis in flies and mammals. Selective knockdown of Nf1 in Rdl-expressing neurons within the nervous system increases gut permeability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the gut, raising the possibility that loss of sleep quality contributes to gut dysregulation. Together, these findings suggest Nf1 acts in GABA-sensitive neurons to modulate sleep depth in Drosophila.
format Article
id doaj-art-141cc2ec4b5741e1a00edec0d98fd57f
institution Kabale University
issn 1553-7390
1553-7404
language English
publishDate 2023-12-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Genetics
spelling doaj-art-141cc2ec4b5741e1a00edec0d98fd57f2025-08-20T03:42:07ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Genetics1553-73901553-74042023-12-011912e101104910.1371/journal.pgen.1011049Neurofibromin 1 mediates sleep depth in Drosophila.Elizabeth B BrownJiwei ZhangEvan LloydElizabeth LanzonValentina BoteroSeth TomchikAlex C KeeneNeural regulation of sleep and metabolic homeostasis are critical in many aspects of human health. Despite extensive epidemiological evidence linking sleep dysregulation with obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, little is known about the neural and molecular basis for the integration of sleep and metabolic function. The RAS GTPase-activating gene Neurofibromin (Nf1) has been implicated in the regulation of sleep and metabolic rate, raising the possibility that it serves to integrate these processes, but the effects on sleep consolidation and physiology remain poorly understood. A key hallmark of sleep depth in mammals and flies is a reduction in metabolic rate during sleep. Here, we examine multiple measures of sleep quality to determine the effects of Nf1 on sleep-dependent changes in arousal threshold and metabolic rate. Flies lacking Nf1 fail to suppress metabolic rate during sleep, raising the possibility that loss of Nf1 prevents flies from integrating sleep and metabolic state. Sleep of Nf1 mutant flies is fragmented with a reduced arousal threshold in Nf1 mutants, suggesting Nf1 flies fail to enter deep sleep. The effects of Nf1 on sleep can be localized to a subset of neurons expressing the GABAA receptor Rdl. Sleep loss has been associated with changes in gut homeostasis in flies and mammals. Selective knockdown of Nf1 in Rdl-expressing neurons within the nervous system increases gut permeability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the gut, raising the possibility that loss of sleep quality contributes to gut dysregulation. Together, these findings suggest Nf1 acts in GABA-sensitive neurons to modulate sleep depth in Drosophila.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1011049
spellingShingle Elizabeth B Brown
Jiwei Zhang
Evan Lloyd
Elizabeth Lanzon
Valentina Botero
Seth Tomchik
Alex C Keene
Neurofibromin 1 mediates sleep depth in Drosophila.
PLoS Genetics
title Neurofibromin 1 mediates sleep depth in Drosophila.
title_full Neurofibromin 1 mediates sleep depth in Drosophila.
title_fullStr Neurofibromin 1 mediates sleep depth in Drosophila.
title_full_unstemmed Neurofibromin 1 mediates sleep depth in Drosophila.
title_short Neurofibromin 1 mediates sleep depth in Drosophila.
title_sort neurofibromin 1 mediates sleep depth in drosophila
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1011049
work_keys_str_mv AT elizabethbbrown neurofibromin1mediatessleepdepthindrosophila
AT jiweizhang neurofibromin1mediatessleepdepthindrosophila
AT evanlloyd neurofibromin1mediatessleepdepthindrosophila
AT elizabethlanzon neurofibromin1mediatessleepdepthindrosophila
AT valentinabotero neurofibromin1mediatessleepdepthindrosophila
AT sethtomchik neurofibromin1mediatessleepdepthindrosophila
AT alexckeene neurofibromin1mediatessleepdepthindrosophila