Cellular and Molecular Bases of the Initiation of Fever
2006
Understanding How Fever Starts
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Alexandre Steiner, Andrej Romanovsky
Hypothesis
Is fever onset triggered by PGE2 that originates inside or outside the brain?
Conclusion
Fever is triggered by PGE2 produced in the lungs and liver, not the brain as previously thought.
Supporting Evidence
- PGE2 synthesis begins in the lungs and liver, not the brain.
- Fever starts about an hour before brain enzymes for PGE2 synthesis are upregulated.
- Antibody treatment significantly attenuated the first phase of LPS fever.
Takeaway
When you get a fever, it's actually your body trying to fight off infection, and it starts in your lungs and liver, not your brain.
Methodology
Rats were given an intravenous solution of PGE2 and LPS to study fever response and PGE2 levels.
Participant Demographics
Rats were used in the study.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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