title: Possible involvement of tumor necrosis factor alpha in radiation-induced hyperthermia in rats.
abstract: Exposure of rats to 1-15 Gy of 60Co gamma radiation induces hyperthermia. Because tumor necrosis factor alpha/cachectin (TNF-alpha) is considered to be an important mediator of the biological response to ionizing radiation, its role in radiation-induced hyperthermia was investigated; in addition, the levels of TNF-alpha in serum before and after radiation exposure were determined. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250-300 g were irradiated with gamma rays from a 60Co source (10 Gy, 10 Gy/min). Irradiation increased the levels of TNF-alpha in serum. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) doses of 10-50 microg/kg of recombinant human TNF-alpha (hTNF-alpha) induced hyperthermia; i.p. administration of 1-3 mg/kg of indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, or 10-50 microg/kg of polyclonal rabbit anti-human TNF-alpha (anti-hTNF-alpha) attenuated the hyperthermia induced by 30 microg/kg of hTNF-alpha or exposure to 10 Gy of gamma rays. These results suggest that irradiation increases TNF-alpha in serum and that TNF-alpha is involved in gamma-radiation-induced hyperthermia. TNF-alpha and gamma-radiation-induced hyperthermia are mediated by prostaglandins.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Pathophysiology and Toxicology Department, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20889-5603, USA.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kandasamy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011453:Prostaglandins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007213:Indomethacin