Inhibition of brain protein synthesis suppresses the release of prostaglandin E2 in febrile rabbits.

In rabbits the third cerebral ventricle was perfused using a push-pull cannula. Prostaglandin E2 concentration in the perfusate was measured by radioimmunoassay. Prostaglandin concentration rose during fever induced by an intraventricular injection of endogenous pyrogen. Both fever and the increased prostaglandin concentration were suppressed by the intraventricular injection of 100 micrograms of the protein synthesis inhibitor, anisomycin. A possible interpretation of the findings is that anisomycin inhibits the formation of phospholipase A2. If this is true, the implication is that phospholipase A2 has a rapid turnover in brain.