Tumor necrosis factor-β specifically inhibits the activity of preoptic warm-sensitive neurons in tissue slices

Abstract

Effects of human tumor necrosis factor-β (TNF-β) were studied on the single neural activities of the preoptic thermosensitive and thermally insensitive neurons in tissue slices of rats. Physiological doses (0.7–40 mg/ml) of TNF-β decreased the firing rate in most of the warm-sensitive neurons, but showed no marked tendency in the response patterns of thermally insensitive neurons. The actions of TNF-β on warm-sensitive neurons were blocked by concurrent application of sodium salicylate. The results suggest that the intracranial TNF may produce fever through local production of prostaglandins.