Roya Lahimgarzadeh - Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Salar Vaseghi - Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, Karaj, Iran
Mohammad Nasehi - Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies (ICSS), Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Rouhollah - Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Objective(s): Sleep deprivation (SD) has a negative impact on cognitive functions including learning and memory. Many studies have shown that rapid-eye-movement (REM) SD also disrupts memory performance. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of multi-epitope Gag-Pol-Env-Tat derived from Human immunodeficiency virus ۱ (HIV-۱) on REM SD-induced spatial memory impairment with respect to the levels of interleukin-۴ (IL-۴), interleukin-۱۷ (IL-۱۷), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), immunoglobulin G۱ (IgG۱), immunoglobulin G۲a (IgG۲a), and lymphocyte proliferation in NMRI mice. We used multi-epitope Gag-Pol-Env-Tat derived from HIV-۱ because Gag-Pol-Env-Tat immunogen sequence is one of the most sensitive immunogen sequences of HIV-۱ that can significantly augment cellular and humoral immune systems, leading to the improvement of cognitive functions. Materials and Methods: Morris water maze apparatus was used to assess spatial memory, and multi-platform apparatus was used to induce RSD for ۲۴ hr. Multi-epitope derived from HIV-۱ was subcutaneously injected at the dose of ۲۰ µgr/ml, once and fourteen days before RSD. Results: RSD impaired spatial memory and injection of multi-epitope derived from HIV-۱ reversed this effect. RSD decreased IL-۴, IgG۱, and IgG۲a levels, while multi-epitope derived from HIV-۱ reversed these effects. Multi-epitope derived from HIV-۱ also increased lymphocyte proliferation and decreased IL-۱۷ levels in both control and RSD mice. Conclusion: Multi-epitope derived from HIV-۱ may improve memory performance via induction of anti-inflammatory immune response. 

Epitopes, HIV-۱, Immunologic factors, Sleep deprivation, Spatial Memory