长爪沙鼠褐色脂肪组织的适应性产热

低温（５±２℃）环境暴露１天、１周、４周长爪沙鼠的静止代谢率和非颤抖性产热、褐色脂肪组织蛋白质含量、线粒体细胞色素－Ｃ氧化酶和α－磷酸甘油氧化酶活力、钠钾泵活力以及环腺苷酸含量、血清Ｔ３含量等项产热指标逐渐提高;而低温驯化８周动物各项指标基本维持在４周水平上,表明长爪沙鼠在冷适应过程中产热能力逐渐提高,而后维持一稳定水平,其中褐色脂肪组织起重要调节作用。     

长爪沙鼠季节性产热特征比较

与夏季相比、冬季长爪沙鼠的静止代谢率和非颤抖性产热显著升高;褐色脂肪组织线粒体的细胞色素C氧化酶与α-磷酸甘油氧化酶活力升高,组织总蛋白质及线粒体蛋白质含量增加,而组织的脂肪含量减少;血清T3含量和T3/T4值都显著增加。但是肝脏的各项产热指标变化不显著、表明褐色脂肪组织的产热功能具有季节波动性,是长爪沙鼠适应性产热的主要来源器官．     

长爪沙鼠冷驯化中褐色脂肪组织产热活性及解偶联蛋白基因表达

长爪沙鼠暴露于冷环境 (4± 2℃ ) 1天至 4周的过程中 ,褐色脂肪组织 (BAT)线粒体的GTP结合能力逐渐增加 ,3周达到最大值 ;解偶联蛋白 (UCP)基因表达只有一种 ,分子量为 1 5kb ,并在冷暴露一天时明显上调 ,一周时达到高峰 ;BAT的T4 5′ 脱碘酶活力也逐渐增加。表明UCPmRNA上调对BAT合成新的UCP是必需的 ,T4 5′ 脱碘酶的激活对BAT的产热和增生是重要的。     

布氏田鼠胎后发育过程中褐色脂肪组织和肝脏的产热特征

为探讨布氏田鼠胎后恒温能力的发育过程,本文测定了1、5、9、17、21、33 和41 日龄幼体的褐色脂肪组织(BAT)和肝脏的重量、线粒体蛋白含量和细胞色素c氧化酶(COX) 的活性。布氏田鼠胎后发育期间BAT 增补明显,主要表现为重量的增加和单位组织重量COX 活性的升高等,属典型的晚成型发育特征。布氏田鼠胎后发育过程中BAT 和肝脏产热特征的变化与幼体的产热特点和恒温能力的发育是相一致的。     

长爪沙鼠脏器重量和肠道长度的季节性变化

小哺乳动物内脏器官的重量和消化道的长度具有可塑性,与其所处的环境密切相关.为进一步了解长爪沙鼠对季节性环境的适应,比较了活捕于内蒙古太仆寺旗的长爪沙鼠的体重、内脏器官的重量及肠道各段长度的性别和季节变化.结果显示:除体重和体长雄鼠高于雌鼠,肝脏的湿重低于雌鼠外,其他指标均未检测到性别差异.雌雄鼠的体重和心脏的湿重都在冬季最高,夏季最低;雄鼠肝脏的湿重夏季最高,春季和冬季最低,雌鼠无季节性变化.睾丸的湿重在春季最高.盲肠和小肠的湿重秋季高于春季,胃和大肠的湿重无季节性差异.小肠的长度冬季最长,夏季最短;盲肠春季最短,大肠春季最长,夏季最短.体重、心脏、消化器官和其他内脏器官的重量,以及消化器官长度的可塑性变化等对于长爪沙鼠适应环境具有重要的意义.     

冷暴露长爪沙鼠下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴对产热的调节

为探讨下丘脑 -垂体 -肾上腺轴在野生小哺乳动物产热中的调节作用 ,对正常及肾上腺去除的长爪沙鼠进行了冷暴露研究。正常雄性长爪沙鼠在急性冷暴露 ( 4± 1℃ ,1天 )条件下 ,下丘脑促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素的合成和释放没有显著变化 ,肾上腺皮质酮含量增加 4 5 8% ,差异显著 ,血清皮质酮水平有增加趋势 ;慢性冷暴露 ( 4± 1℃ ,3周 )后 ,肾上腺皮质酮含量增加到对照的 2 14倍 ,血清皮质酮含量维持较高水平。肾上腺去除的长爪沙鼠冷暴露 3周后 ,褐色脂肪组织 (BAT)产热 (细胞色素C氧化酶活力、线粒体GTP结合数量 )增加 ,下丘脑促甲状腺激素释放激素的合成和释放、血清三碘甲腺原氨酸水平以及血清去甲肾上腺素的浓度均有增加的趋势。表明冷暴露条件下长爪沙鼠肾上腺皮质酮的合成和释放增加 ,从而抑制BAT的产热 ,皮质酮对BAT产热的抑制部分是通过抑制下丘脑 -垂体 -甲状腺轴激素的合成和分泌以及抑制交感神经系统的活动而实现的。     

下丘脑-垂体-甲状腺轴在冷暴露长爪沙鼠产热中的作用

为探讨冷暴露小哺乳动物褐色脂肪组织(BAT)产热的调节机理,在已有的冷暴露长爪沙鼠(Meri-ones unguiculatus)BAT产热变化研究的基础上,测定了急性(1 d)及长期(3周)冷暴露[(4±1)℃]雄性长爪沙鼠下丘脑和正中隆起中促甲状腺激素释放激素(TRH)含量、血清甲状腺激素(T3、T4)和去甲肾上腺素(NE)浓度以及BAT中T45'脱碘酶活性的变化.与常温对照组相比,冷暴露1 d长爪沙鼠下丘脑TIRH含量减少,正中隆起TRH含量、血清T3和NE浓度以及BAT中T4 5'脱碘酶活性均增加,血清T4浓度降低;冷暴露3周后,下丘脑TRH含量回升到接近对照组水平,正中隆起TRH含量、血清T3浓度、BAT中T4 5'脱碘酶活性均在冷暴露1d的基础上进一步增加,血清T4浓度进一步降低,血清NE浓度维持在冷暴露1 d的高水平.结果分析推测,冷暴露激活了长爪沙鼠下丘脑-垂体-甲状腺(HPT)轴激素的合成和分泌,并激活了外周交感神经系统,导致产热增加.     

高原鼠兔褐色脂肪组织及肝脏产热的季节性变化

非颤抖性产热(nonshtverlng thermogenesis, NST)是小哺乳动物在低温环境下增加产热的有效途径(Foster等1978.Can JPhyslol,56:110~122)。NST主要产生于褐色脂肪组织(BAT),所有影响BAT结构与功能的因素均可影响NST能力(Cannon等,1993．Life in the cold．369～379)。 高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)为高寒草甸生态系统中非冬眠的小哺乳类动物,其生态学特征已被进行了广游酊探^的研究．王德华等(1990。兽类学报10(1)：40～53; 1993．兽类学报13(4)：271～276)对高原鼠兔NST能力,BAT组织成分及线粒体蛋白的季节性变化进行了研究。本文在此工作的基础上。试图从细胞承千上进一步探讨高原鼠兔产热的季节性变化及适应意义。     

侧脑室注射CRH对急性冷暴露长爪沙鼠BAT产热的影响及产热调节机理

长爪沙鼠侧脑室注射促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素(CRH) 8μg 或CRH受体阻断剂2.5μg 后, 4 ±1 ℃暴露3 h ,对照组注射等体积生理盐水并置于24 ±2 ℃或4 ±1 ℃下。与常温对照组相比, 低温对照组褐色脂肪组织(BAT) 重量下降, BAT中解偶联蛋白(UCP1) mRNA 上调; 下丘脑促甲状腺激素释放激素(TRH) 含量降低, 血清T₃ 、T₄ 、T₃/T₄水平及BAT中T₄5′脱碘酶活性均增加, 血清去甲肾上腺素(NE) 含量上升。与低温对照组相比, 侧脑室注射CRH后再冷暴露, BAT重量、蛋白总含量和UCP1 mRNA 含量趋于减少; 血清NE 含量上升, BAT 中T₄ 5′脱碘酶活性增加, 但下丘脑TRH 含量、血清T₃ 、T₄ 及T₃/T₄ 水平均降低。侧脑室注射215μg 的CRH 受体阻断剂α- helical CRH 9 - 41 , 对冷暴露长爪沙鼠甲状腺轴的分泌、BAT重量、血清中NE 水平及UCP1 mRNA 含量没有明显影响。结果表明, 急性冷暴露激活了长爪沙鼠下丘脑- 垂体- 甲状腺(HPT) 轴和交感神经系统, 刺激BAT产热和UCP1 合成; 而CRH作用于中枢, 可能一方面抑制HPT轴的分泌, 进而抑制UCP1 的基因表达, 另一方面又刺激交感神经,增加产热。     

Fucoxanthin from edible seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida, shows antiobesity effect through UCP1 expression in white adipose tissues

Mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is usually expressed only in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and a key molecule for metabolic thermogenesis to avoid an excess of fat accumulation. However, there is little BAT in adult humans. Therefore, UCP1 expression in tissues other than BAT is expected to reduce abdominal fat. Here, we show reduction of abdominal white adipose tissue (WAT) weights in rats and mice by feeding lipids from edible seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida. Clear signals of UCP1 protein and mRNA were detected in WAT of mice fed the Undaria lipids, although there is little expression of UCP1 in WAT of mice fed control diet. The Undaria lipids mainly consisted of glycolipids and seaweed carotenoid, fucoxanthin. In the fucoxanthin-fed mice, WAT weight significantly decreased and UCP1 was clearly expressed in the WAT, while there was no difference in WAT weight and little expression of UCP1 in the glycolipids-fed mice. This result indicates that fucoxanthin upregulates the expression of UCP1 in WAT, which may contribute to reducing WAT weight.     

Uncoupling protein in human brown adipose tissue mitochondria. Isolation and detection by specific antiserum

A protein of Mr 32 000 has been isolated from human infant brown adipose tissue mitochondria following the procedure used to purify the uncoupling protein from rat brown adipose tissue mitochondria. A specific antiserum has been raised against the human 32 kDa protein, and used to detect it by probing mitochondrial proteins separated by SDS-PAGE. The protein is present in large amounts in brown adipose tissue but is undetectable in human liver, heart or white adipose tissue. It has strong immunological cross-reactivity with rat brown adipose tissue uncoupling protein.     

Brown adipose tissue: Updates in cellular and molecular biology

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is mainly composed of adipocytes, it is highly vascularized and innervated, and can be activated in adult humans. Brown adipocytes are responsible for performing non-shivering thermogenesis, which is exclusively mediated by uncoupling protein (UCP) -1 (a protein found in the inner mitochondrial membrane), the hallmark of BAT, responsible for the uncoupling of the proton leakage from the ATP production, therefore, generating heat (i.e. thermogenesis). Besides UCP1, other compounds are essential not only to thermogenesis, but also to the proliferation and differentiation of BAT, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family, PPARgamma coactivator 1 (PGC1)-alpha, and PRD1-BF-1-RIZ1 homologous domain protein containing protein (PRDM) -16. The sympathetic nervous system centrally regulates thermogenesis through norepinephrine, which acts on the adrenergic receptors of BAT. This bound leads to the initialization of the many pathways that may activate thermogenesis in acute and/or chronic ways. In summary, this mini-review aims to demonstrate the latest advances in the knowledge of BAT.     

The role of UCP 1 in production of reactive oxygen species by mitochondria isolated from brown adipose tissue

We provide evidence that ablation or inhibition of, uncoupling protein 1 increases the rate of reactive oxygen containing species production by mitochondria from brown adipose tissue, no matter what electron transport chain substrate is used (succinate, glycerol-3-phosphate or pyruvate/malate). Consistent with these data are our observations that (a) the mitochondrial membrane potential is maximal when uncoupling protein 1 is ablated or inhibited and (b) oxygen consumption rates in mitochondria from uncoupling protein 1 knock-out mice, are significantly lower than those from wild-type mice, but equivalent to those from wild-type mice in the presence of GDP. In summary, we show that uncoupling protein 1 can affect reactive oxygen containing species production by isolated mitochondria from brown adipose tissue.