title: Polysaccharide peptide induces a tumor necrosis factor-α-dependent drop of body temperature in rats.
abstract: Polysaccharide peptide (PSP) extracted from the Coriolus versicolor mushroom is frequently suggested as an adjunct to the chemo- or radiotherapy in cancer patients. It improves quality of the patients' life by decreasing pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. However, the effect of PSP on body temperature has not thus far been studied, although it is well known that treatment with other polysaccharide adjuvants, such as lipopolysaccharides, may induce fever. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to investigate the influence of PSP on temperature regulation in rats. We report that intraperitoneal injection of PSP provoked a dose-dependent decrease of temperature in male Wistar rats equipped with biotelemetry devices to monitor deep body temperature (Tb). The response was rapid (i.e., with latency of 15-20min), transient (lasting up to 5h post-injection), and accompanied by a significant elevation of the blood tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level. Pretreatment of the rats with anti-TNF-α antibody prevented the PSP-induced drop in Tb. Based on these data, we conclude that rats may develop an anapyrexia-like response to the injection of peptidopolysaccharide rather than fever, and the response was TNF-α-dependent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 1 Lwowska Street, 87-100 Torun, Poland. Electronic address: tomaszj@umk.pl.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jedrzejewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 1 Lwowska Street, 87-100 Torun, Poland; Centre For Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 4 Wilenska Street, 87-100 Torun, Poland. Electronic address: jakub_piotrowski@o2.pl.
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piotrowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 1 Lwowska Street, 87-100 Torun, Poland. Electronic address: sylwia@wrotek.pl.
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wrotek
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 1 Lwowska Street, 87-100 Torun, Poland. Electronic address: wkozak@umk.pl.
authors.forename: Wieslaw
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kozak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D011509:Proteoglycans; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C093216:polysaccharide peptide
keywords: Anapyrexia; Biotelemetry; Body temperature; Polysaccharide peptide; Rats; Tumor necrosis factor-α.