The influences of propofol and dexmedetomidine on circadian gene expression in rat brain

Abstract Introduction There are circadian genes whose expressions were affected by sevoflurane. We hypothesized that propofol and dexmedetomidine also have influences on the expressions of circadian genes. Materials and methods Seven-week-old rats were cannulated and propofol (600 μg/kg/min, 1 ml/h, n  = 6: group P6H), dexmedetomidine (1 μg/kg/min, 1 ml/h, n  = 6: group D6H), 10% lipid (1 ml/h, n  = 6: group L) and normal saline (1 ml/h, n  = 6: group N) were infused intravenously for 6 h; rats were decapitated soon or 24 h after awakening from anesthesia (groups P24H n  = 6 and D24H n  = 6). Real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed using rat whole brain and the expressions of circadian genes were measured. Results In the P6H group and the P24H group, the whole expressions of seven genes were changed significantly compared with the L group. In the D6H group, the whole expression of seven genes was changed significantly compared with the N group. In the P6H group, all gene expressions except for Tef (thyrotroph embryonic factor) were changed significantly compared with the L group. In this group, the expression of Dbp (D site albumin promoter binding protein) was increased, and the others were decreased. In the D6H group, all gene expressions except for Dbp and Tef were decreased significantly compared with the N group. For the two anesthetics, the expression patterns were different only in Dbp . Conclusion We showed that propofol and dexmedetomidine have influences on the circadian gene expressions.