Evidence of a role for nerve-growth factor in the effect of sialoadenectomy on body temperature of parasite-infected mice

Mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni were used to investigate the role of the submaxillary salivary gland and nerve growth factor (NGF) in temperature response. The results showed that the infection increased (36.5 +/- 0.3 vs 35.7 +/- 0.2), while sialoadenectomy decreased (34.4 +/- 0.2 vs 35.7 +/- 0.2) body temperature. These temperature changes were associated with high or low circulating NGF levels, respectively. It was also found that infection altered the distribution of oxytocin-positive neurones in the hypothalamus and that administration of 20 mu g of purified NGF in normal mice raised (36.1 +/- 0.2 vs 35.1 +/- 0.2) and of NGF antibodies decreased (34.0 +/- 0.2 vs 35.1 +/- 0.2) body temperature. Taken together, these observations suggest that salivary NGF influences the temperature set-point in adult rodents, but the mechanism regulating these events remains to be elucidated.