Studies on the pathogenesis of fever. IV. The site of action of leucocytic and circulating endogenous pyrogen.

Abstract

By means of a method designed to compare the febrile responses produced by intracarotid and intravenous injections, the endogenous pyrogen, which is contained in leucocytic exudates and is present in the serum of rabbits 2 hours after intravenous injections of typhoid vaccine, has been shown to act directly upon the thermoregulatory centers of the brain. In contrast, the exogenous bacterial pyrogen present in serum obtained 5 minutes after vaccine injections was found to act by a different and less direct mechanism. These observations add strong support to the original hypothesis that endogenous pyrogen, presumably derived from polymorphonuclear leucocytes, is an essential factor in the pathogenesis of endotoxin fever.