AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 272, Issue 5 1664-R1669, Copyright © 1997 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Differential ventral septal vasopressin release is associated with sexual dimorphism in PGE2 fever

X. Chen, R. Landgraf and Q. J. Pittman
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The vasopressinergic innervation of the ventral septal area (VSA) has been shown to be implicated in antipyresis. Because this system is less well developed in female rats, we hypothesized that female rats would display exaggerated febrile responses. We therefore examined the temperature responses of conscious and urethan-anesthetized rats of both sexes to centrally administered prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and correlated these responses with the release and action of endogenous arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the VSA. Both conscious [25 ng/5 microliters PGE2 intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.)] and anesthetized (VSA microdialyzed, 50 ng/5 microliters PGE2 i.c.v.) female rats had higher fevers than did males. Infusion of an AVP V1a receptor antagonist inverted question mark1 nmol [d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)]AVP inverted question mark plus PGE2 gave rise to higher fevers in males but not in females. Measurements of AVP in microdialysates of the VSA showed that the release of endogenous AVP was increased in response to PGE2 in males only. Baseline AVP release in both sexes was similar. The results suggest that there is a sex-related difference in PGE2 fever, which may be accounted for by the differential AVP release in the VSA.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Milutinovic, D. Murphy, and N. Japundzic-Zigon The role of central vasopressin receptors in the modulation of autonomic cardiovascular controls: a spectral analysis study Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, December 1, 2006; 291(6): R1579 - R1591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Q. J. Pittman Endothelin-an emerging role in proinflammatory pathways in brain Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2006; 290(1): R162 - R163. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. I. Ivanov, A. A. Romanovsky, K. Matsumura, A. Mouihate, M. S. Clerget-Froidevaux, J. L. Wallace, and Q. J. Pittman Near-term suppression of fever: inhibited synthesis or accelerated catabolism of prostaglandin E2? Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, March 1, 2003; 284(3): R860 - R865. [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. M. Paro, M. C. Almeida, E. C. Carnio, and L. G. S. Branco Role of L-glutamate in systemic AVP-induced hypothermia J Appl Physiol, January 1, 2003; 94(1): 271 - 277. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Chen, M. Hirasawa, Y. Takahashi, R. Landgraf, and Q. J. Pittman Suppression of PGE2 fever at near term: reduced thermogenesis but not enhanced vasopressin antipyresis Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, August 1, 1999; 277(2): R354 - R361. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. A. Steiner, E. C. Carnio, J. Antunes-Rodrigues, and L. G. S. Branco Endogenous vasopressin does not mediate hypoxia-induced anapyrexia in rats J Appl Physiol, February 1, 1999; 86(2): 469 - 473. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Mouihate, X. Chen, and Q. J. Pittman Interleukin-1beta fever in rats: gender difference and estrous cycle influence Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, November 1, 1998; 275(5): R1450 - R1454. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. A. Steiner, E. C. Carnio, J. Antunes-Rodrigues, and L. G. S. Branco Role of nitric oxide in systemic vasopressin-induced hypothermia Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, October 1, 1998; 275(4): R937 - R941. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Q. J. PITTMAN, X. CHEN, A. MOUIHATE, and S. MARTIN Vasopressin-Induced Antipyresis: Sex- and Experience-Dependent Febrile Responses Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., September 29, 1998; 856(1): 53 - 61. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]