The effect of an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase on the development of pyrogen, prostaglandin and cyclic AMP fevers in the rabbit.

An exotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis known to inhibit adenylate cyclase in vitro has been used to investigate the role of cyclic AMP in the pathogenesis of fever in the rabbit. Intra-hypothalamic microinjections of the exotoxin are non-pyrogenic and significantly attenuate the hyperthermia caused by intrahypothalamic microinjections of both bacterial pyrogen (endotoxin) and prostaglandin E1. The hyperthermia produced by dibutyrl cyclic AMP is not affected by the exotoxin. These results support the idea that adenylate cyclase is activated during the development of fever in the rabbit.