Body mass, Thermogenesis and energy metabolism in Tupaia belangeri during cold acclimation

Abstract

In order to study the relationship between energy strategies and environmental temperature, basal metabolic rate (BMR), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), the total protein contents, mitochondrial protein contents, state and state respiratory ability, cytochrome C oxidase activity Ⅲ Ⅳ of liver, heart, diaphragm, gastrocnemius and brown adipose tissue (BAT), serum leptin level and serum thyroid hormone levels were measured in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) during cold exposure (5±1oC) for 1 day, 7 days,14days,21 days. The results showed that body mass increased, BMR and NST increased, the change of liver mitochondrial protein content was more acutely than total protein. The mitochondrial protein content of heart and BAT were significantly increased during cold-exposed, however the skeletal muscle more moderate reaction. The state Ⅲ and state Ⅳ mitochondrial respiration of these tissues were enhanced significantly than the control. The cytochrome C oxidase activity with cold acclimation also significantly increased except the gastrocnemius. Liver, muscle, BAT, heart and other organs were concerned with thermoregulation during the thermal regulation process above cold-exposed. There is a negative correlation between leptin level and body mass. These results suggested that T. belangeri enhanced thermogenic capacity during cold acclimation, and leptin participated in the regulation of energy balance and body weight in T. belangeri.

Keywords

• Tupaia belangeri
• adaptive thermogenesis
• cold-exposure