Hyperthermia and disaggregation of brain polysomes induced by bacterial pyrogen.

Hyperthermia induced following injection of bacterial pyrogen to rabbits was associated with a disaggregation of brain polysomes to monosomes. Direct elevation of the body temperature to levels similar to that found after pyrogen administration also resulted in a brain polysome shift. The disaggregation of brain polysomes after either pyrogen injection or elevation of ambient temperature was not due to ribonuclease activation and the phenomenon was associated with a relocalization of polyadenylated mRNA from polysomes to monosomes. Since polysome disaggregation was not found in kidney, it appears that the brain may be more sensitive to elevations in body temperature.