The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) on renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), arterial blood pressure (AP), heart rate (HR), and body temperature in conscious rats. Either intravenous or intracerebroventricular administration of IL-1 beta elicited increases in AP, HR, and RSNA accompanied by a rise in body temperature. The maximum changes in AP, HR, and RSNA occurred 10-15 min after intravenous injection of IL-1 beta (100 ng) and 20-25 min after intracerebroventricular injection (5 ng). The responses induced by the intravenous and intracerebroventricular injections lasted for approximately 15-30 min and did not appear when the animals were pretreated with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (10 mg/kg iv). Moreover, intracerebroventricular injection of prostaglandin E2 (1 microgram) produced responses similar to those induced by IL-1 but with shorter latency. Plasma norepinephrine and adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations were increased after IL-1 beta injection. The results suggested that IL-1 beta augments cardiovascular and sympathetic outflow through the central action of prostaglandin E2 in conscious rats.