alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone infused ICV fails to affect body temperature or endotoxin fever in the cat.

Permanent cannulae for intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion were implanted bilaterally in cats following stereotaxic procedures. After colonic temperature was recorded for a one-hour baseline, a 300 microliter ICV infusion was given of CSF control vehicle, 1:100 dilution of W3110 E. coli endotoxin (10(8) organisms/ml) or alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) in one of seven doses ranging from 50.0 ng to 50.0 micrograms. Whereas ICV E. coli always induced an intense and prolonged fever of rapid onset, alpha-MSH infused similarly was essentially without effect on the deep body temperature of the normothermic cat. When each of the doses of alpha-MSH was infused ICV, either during the rising phase of an E. coli fever or after the febrile response had reached its asymptote, the core temperature of the cat was unaffected. Similarly, a mixture of E. coli combined with alpha-MSH given ICV failed to alter the characteristics of the rapidly developing fever produced in the cat by this endotoxin. On the other hand, either excess Ca++ ions (50 mM) given ICV or the antipyretic drug. Dipyrone, administered systematically during the course of an endotoxin fever effectively attenuated the animal's elevated body temperature. These results demonstrate that alpha-MSH is apparently neither involved in the central mechanisms underlying normal thermoregulation, nor does it act as an endogenous antipyretic in the cat as has been postulated in another species.