title: Attenuation of lipopolysaccharide fever in rats by protein kinase C inhibitors.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fever and changes in circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in freely moving biotelemetered rats. We used PKC inhibitors with different inhibition constants (Ki): H-7 (Ki = 6 microM) and chelerythrine (Chel; Ki = 0.66 microM; a more potent PKC inhibitor). Rats were injected subcutaneously with either 3 or 15 microM/kg of these inhibitors and then 1 h later were injected intraperitoneally with LPS (50 micrograms/kg). Blood samples for IL-6 bioassay were collected 4 h after LPS injection. H-7 at lower doses did not significantly affect fever and LPS-induced elevation of circulating IL-6, whereas at a higher dose (15 microM/kg) H-7 reduced both fever and the increase of IL-6 (analysis of variance, Scheffé's test, P < 0.05). Chel (3 and 15 microM/kg) significantly reduced fever and almost completely inhibited the LPS-induced elevation of plasma IL-6. In separate experiments, we studied the effect of H-7 on antipyresis due to dexamethasone (Dex). Dex at a dose of 0.6 microM/kg given subcutaneously 1 h before LPS partially prevented fever (approximately 55% inhibition) and attenuated the increase of IL-6 (P < 0.05). Simultaneous pretreatment of the rats with Dex and H-7 (3 microM/kg; a dose that did not affect fever and IL-6 elevation) led to a potentiation of the antipyretic effect of Dex, resulting in no fever. H-7 did not potentiate, however, the inhibitory effect of Dex on LPS-induced elevation of circulating IL-6. We conclude that PKC is involved in the regulation of LPS fever and constitutes a rate-limiting factor in modulation of the fever by glucocorticoids.
authors.affiliation: Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kozak
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Klir
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Conn
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kluger
mesh_terms: D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000470:Alkaloids; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D053119:Benzophenanthridines; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D010617:Phenanthridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D053119:Benzophenanthridines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010617:Phenanthridines; D003907:Dexamethasone; D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; C016299:chelerythrine; D011493:Protein Kinase C