TNFα mimics the endocrine but not the thermoregulatory responses of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS): Correlation with FOS-expression in the brain

Abstract

Thermoregulatory and plasma corticosterone responses to peripheral LPS and TNFα were compared and correlated with brain FOS protein expression. TNFα mimicked the corticosterone response evoked by LPS and the increase in FOS expression in the hypothalamic PVN. TNFα also mimicked LPS-activation of central noradrenergic and adrenergic neurones. TNFα did not induce a hypothermia which might reflect its failure to activate the vasopressin neurones of the BNST.