Multi-omics analysis of human peripheral blood reveals marked molecular profiling changes caused by one night of sleep deprivation

Sleep insufficiency is associated with various disorders, the molecular bases of which are unknown. We used multiple omics techniques to examine changes in blood of adults voluntarily subjected to sleep deprivation. Fourteen males and 18 females donated fasting blood samples prior to (Day 1) and following (Days 2 and 3) 24h of sleep deprivation. Blood samples were subjected to integrated, biochemical, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic analyses. Sleep deprivation caused marked molecular changes (46.4% transcript genes, 59.3% proteins and 55.6% metabolites) that incompletely reversed by Day 3. The immune system was markedly affected, in particular neutrophil-mediated processes associated with plasma superoxidase dismutase-1 and S100A8 gene expression. Sleep deprivation decreased melatonin levels and increased immune cells, inflammatory factors and c-reactive protein, while signaling pathways for schizophrenia and neurodegenerative diseases were enriched. In sum, the blood profile following sleep disruption, such as may occur among shift workers, may promote immune and CNS dysfunction.