Evidence for mechanisms of the acute-phase response to endotoxin in late-gestation fetal goats.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between febrile response to fetal endotoxin administration and fetal plasma endogenous pyrogen, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, the possible putative pyrogen mediator prostaglandin E2, and the endogenous antipyretic arginine vasopressin in late-gestation pregnant goats.


METHODS
Changes in fetal core temperature, plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha, prostaglandin E2, and arginine vasopressin levels were measured after administration of Escherichia coli endotoxin (70 microg/kg of fetal weight) to 10 fetal goats in late gestation.


RESULTS
Fetal body temperature did not rise after endotoxin administration. Fetal plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha and arginine vasopressin increased to 87.5 +/- 15.2 pg/mL and 25.1 +/- 4.8 pg/mL, respectively, after 1 to 2 hours (P < .05). Fetal plasma prostaglandin E2 levels did not change significantly throughout the study.


CONCLUSIONS
The absence of a febrile response to endotoxin in late-gestation fetal goats is accompanied by a deficient responses in prostaglandin generation in the periphery and increased activity of the antipyrogen arginine vasopressin.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
Y
Y
Yoneyama
R
R
Sawa
K
K
Kubonoya
S
S
Suzuki
Y
Y
Otsubo
G G
GG
Power
T
T
Araki
D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000097:blood; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D005740:Gases / Q000097:blood; D005865:Gestational Age; D006041:Goats / Q000196:embryology*; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000187:drug effects; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D011247:Pregnancy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D004731:Endotoxins; D005740:Gases; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D015232:Dinoprostone