Turpentine-induced fever during stimulation and inhibition of hepatic protein synthesis

Abstract 1. Male Wistar rats pretreated with d -galactosamine (500 mg/kg, i.p.), a specific inhibitor of hepatic protein synthesis, developed attenuated and prolonged fever in response to turpentine (0.5 ml/rat, s.c.). 2. Hepatic protein synthesis stimulator epinephrine (1.8 mg/kg, s.c.) did not affect body temperature response of Wistar rats to turpentine. 3. Both d -galactosamine (500 mg/kg) and epinephrine (1.8 mg/kg) failed to affect body temperature in non-febrile rats. 4. These data support the hypothesis that liver-synthesised acute phase proteins might be involved in mechanisms of fever, probably, as modulators of activated cytokine network, mediating febrile response.