title: Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist as a modulator of gender differences in the febrile response to lipopolysaccharide in rats.
abstract: Febrile responses to bacterial pathogens are attenuated near term of pregnancy in several mammalian species. It is unknown, however, whether this reflects a fundamental physiological adaptation of female rats or whether it is specific to pregnancy. The aims of this study therefore were 1) to determine whether febrile responses to the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are attenuated in female vs. male rats and, if so, to identify possible mechanisms involved in modulating this and 2) to assess whether plasma concentrations of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), an important regulator of fever, are dependent on the physiological state of the female and could therefore be involved in modulating febrile responses. We found febrile responses were attenuated in cycling female vs. male rats and also in near-term pregnant dams vs. cycling females after intraperitoneal injection of LPS (0.05 mg/kg). Plasma levels of IL-1ra were significantly greater in female rats after injection of LPS, particularly during pregnancy, than in males. This was accompanied by attenuated levels of hypothalamic IL-1beta and cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA, two key mediators of the febrile response, in female rats. Furthermore, increasing plasma levels of IL-1ra in male rats by intraperitoneal administration of the recombinant antagonist attenuated hypothalamic mRNA levels of these mediators after LPS. These data suggest that there is a fundamental difference in febrile response to LPS between the genders that is likely regulated by IL-1ra. This may be an important mechanism that protects the developing fetus from potentially deleterious consequences of maternal fever during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4H 1R3.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ashdown
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boksa
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Luheshi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins