Effect of pyrogen and antipyretics on prostaglandin acitvity in cisternal c.s.f. of unanaesthetized cats.

1. Samples of cisternal cerebrospinal fluid (c.s.f.) were collected from unanaesthetized cats while rectal temperature was continuously recorded. From the same cat, samples were collected during normal body temperature, during pyrogen fever and when the fever was brought down by an I.P. injection of an antipyretic. Fever was produced by injection of the bacterial pyrogen of Shigella dysenteriae either into the third ventricle, cisterna magna or I.V. The samples of c.s.f. were assayed for PGE(1)-like activity on the rat stomach fundus strip preparation rendered insensitive to 5-HT.2. In samples of c.s.f. collected during normal body temperature, usually either no PGE(1)-like activity was detected, or its activity was low. Higher values were obtained in only a few cats.3. In each experiment the PGE(1)-like activity increased, often many-fold, in samples collected during the pyrogen fever, irrespective, of the route of administration of the pyrogen. However, on I.V. injection, about 1000 times larger doses of the pyrogen were required than on injection into the liquor space to produce fever and the increase in PGE(1)-like activity of cisternal c.s.f.4. The antipyretic drugs indomethacin, paracetamol and aspirin, injected I.P. during the pyrogen fever, brought down temperature, and the PGE(1)-like activity of the cisternal c.s.f. again became low.5. When samples of cisternal c.s.f. were subjected to thin layer chromatography the prostaglandin-like activity was solely or mainly found in the zone corresponding to the prostaglandins of the E series.6. These findings support the theory that pyrogens produce fever by increasing synthesis and release of prostaglandin in the preoptic anterior hypothalamic area, and that antipyretics of the aspirin type bring down this fever because they inhibit this synthesis.7. It is concluded that pyrogen increases prostaglandin synthesis not only in the preoptic anterior hypothalamic area. When injected into the liquor space increased synthesis of prostaglandin probably occurs in many regions near the surface of the brain stem, and when injected I.V. may occur in other parts of the C.N.S. as well. But to produce fever the prostaglandin has to act on the preoptic anterior hypothalamic area.