title: Propyretic role of the locus coeruleus nitric oxide pathway.
abstract: Nitric oxide has been reported to modulate fever in the brain. However, the sites where NO exerts this modulation remain somewhat unclear. Locus coeruleus (LC) neurons express not only nitric oxide synthase (NOS) but also soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC). In the present study, we evaluated in vivo and ex vivo the putative role of the LC NO-cGMP pathway in fever. To this end, deep body temperature was measured before and after pharmacological modulations of the pathway. Moreover, nitrite/nitrate (NOx) and cGMP levels in the LC were assessed. Conscious rats were microinjected within the LC with a non-selective NOS inhibitor (N(G)-monomethyl-l-arginine acetate), a NO donor (NOC12), a sGC inhibitor (1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one) or a cGMP analogue (8-bromo-cGMP) and injected intraperitoneally with endotoxin. Inhibition of NOS or sGC before endotoxin injection significantly increased the latency to the onset of fever. During the course of fever, inhibition of NOS or sGC attenuated the febrile response, whereas microinjection of NOC12 or 8-bromo-cGMP increased the response. These findings indicate that the LC NO-cGMP pathway plays a propyretic role. Furthermore, we observed a significant increase in NOx and cGMP levels, indicating that the febrile response to endotoxin is accompanied by stimulation of the NO-cGMP pathway in the LC.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 14049-900 - Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. rsoriano@rfi.fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: Renato N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: Maria I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ravanelli
authors.forename: Marcelo E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Batalhao
authors.forename: Evelin C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Carnio
authors.forename: Luiz G S
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Branco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D009603:Nitroso Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase
chemical_list: C095284:1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazolo(4,3-a)quinoxalin-1-one; D004731:Endotoxins; C118603:NOC 12; D009603:Nitroso Compounds; D010069:Oxadiazoles; D011810:Quinoxalines; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; C016276:8-bromocyclic GMP; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester