The inhibition of nitric oxide synthase suppresses LPS- and psychological-stress-induced fever in rats

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a non-selective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor on changes in fever response due to injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or on stress fever caused by exposure to an open field in freely moving biotelemetered rats. N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of all NOS-isoforms, was injected intraperitoneally (ip) at a dose of 50 mg/kg just before intraperitoneal injection of LPS at a dose of 50 microg/kg or exposure to open field. L-NAME at a dose of 50 mg/kg had no effect on normal day-time body temperature (T(b)) and normal night-time T(b). The same dose of L-NAME administered intraperitoneally caused a significant attenuation of LPS-induced fever. The thermal index calculated for rats pretreated with L-NAME and injected with LPS was reduced by approximately 75% compared to that calculated for saline-pretreated and LPS-injected rats. To examine the effect of NOS inhibition on psychological-stress-induced elevation in T(b), rats were injected intraperitoneally with L-NAME and then immediately exposed to open field for 60 min. After exposure to the open field, rats not treated with NOS inhibitor responded with a rapid rise in T(b), and it was accompanied with an increase of motor activity. L-NAME significantly suppressed the stress fever without any effect on changes in motor activity. Presented data provide clear evidence that NO formation is involved in LPS- and psychological-stress-induced fevers in rats.