Fetal alcohol exposure attenuates interleukin-l beta-induced fever: neuroimmune mechanisms

Central mechanisms for the attenuating effects of fetal alcohol exposure (F AE) on interleukin-l beta (IL-l)-induced fever were studied in adult male o ffspring of dams fed a liquid diet supplemented with ethanol (E), in pair-f ed (P) control and in normal (N) offspring. Hypothalamic levels of IL-I wer e significantly lower in E than in N rats at 2 h, but not at 4 and 6 h, aft er intraperitoneal administration of lipopolysaccharide. Fever induced by i ntracerebroventricular (icv) IL-1 was significantly lower in E than in N an d P rats. In contrast, E rats showed a normal febrile response to icv prost aglandin-E-2 . Thus, whereas FAE does not affect central thermoregulatory m echanisms, per se, FAE alters the kinetics of hypothalamic IL-1 production/ appearance and decreases the responsiveness of central mechanisms which med iate the febrile response to IL-I. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.