title: Carbon monoxide as a novel mediator of the febrile response in the central nervous system.
abstract: Heme oxygenase catalyzes the metabolism of heme to biliverdin, free iron, and carbon monoxide (CO), which has been shown to be an important neuromodulatory agent. Recently, it has been demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can induce the enzyme heme oxygenase in glial cells. Therefore, the present study was designed to test the hypothesis that central CO plays a role in LPS-induced fever. Colonic body temperature (T(b)) was measured in awake, unrestrained rats (basal T(b) = 36.8 +/- 0.2 degrees C). Intracerebroventricular injection of zinc deuteroporphyrin 2,4-bis glycol (ZnDPBG; 75 nmol), a heme oxygenase inhibitor, caused no significant change in T(b), indicating that the central heme oxygenase pathway plays no tonic role in T(b) under the experimental conditions used. Intraperitoneal injections of LPS (50-100 microgram/kg) evoked dose-dependent increases in T(b). Intracerebroventricular injection of ZnDPBG in febrile rats attenuated LPS-induced fever (thermal index with ZnDPBG = 1.1 +/- 0. 2 degrees C, thermal index with vehicle = 2.3 +/- 0.4 degrees C), suggesting that the central heme oxygenase pathway plays a role in fever generation. The antipyretic effect of ZnDPBG could be reversed by intracerebroventricular administration of heme-lysinate or CO-saturated saline. Collectively, our data indicate that CO arising from heme oxygenase may play an important role in fever generation by acting on the central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfologia, Estomatologia e Fisiologia, Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 14040-904 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colombari
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Branco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003905:Deuteroporphyrins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006418:Heme / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008239:Lysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003905:Deuteroporphyrins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C106087:heme lysinate; C060750:zinc deuteroporphyrin IX 2,4-bis(glycol); D006418:Heme; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); D008239:Lysine