Role of nitric oxide in 2-deoxy-D-glucose-induced hypothermia in rats

THE present study was designed to test the hypothesis that nitric:oxide (NO ) plays a role in 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG)-induced hypothermia. The body te mperature of awake, unrestrained rats was measured before and after the adm inistration of 2-DG, or NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; a non-sel ective NOS inhibitor) or both treatments together. We observed a significan t reduction in body temperature after 2-DG injection. L-NAME alone caused n o significant change in body temperature. When the two treatments were comb ined, a-reduction in the magnitude of 2-DG-induced hypothermia was observed . The neuronal NOS inhibitor 7-nitroindazole also inhibited 2-DG-induced hy pothermia.:The data indicate that NO, probably produced by neuronal NOS, pl ays a role in 2-DG-induced hypothermia. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilk ins.