渐变的光周期和温度对布氏田鼠能量代谢和身体成分的影响

为探讨在同时逐渐缩短光照时间和降低温度的过程中,动物能量代谢水平和身体成分的适应性变化, 我们以成年雄性布氏田鼠为对象, 测定了温度为20℃ 和光周期为12L:12D (对照组),以及从温度为20℃ 和长光照条件(16L:8D)逐渐转换到温度为4℃ 和短光照条件(8L:16D)的过程中(实验组), 其体重、静止代谢率和能量摄入的变化, 以及经过8 周驯化后身体器官和组织重量的变化。结果发现:实验组动物的体重增长率低于对照组。在驯化期间, 静止代谢率无组内和组间差异。实验组动物的干物质摄入、能量摄入和消化能等组内差异不明显, 但对照组动物在驯化的第8 周显著降低。实验组动物的能量摄入水平在驯化后显著升高;小肠和胃的干重, 以及小肠和心脏等器官的湿重也都显著高于对照组。结果表明,布氏田鼠能够采取降低体重、增加能量摄入和调整体内某些器官和组织重量的方式来适应变化的环境条件。     

光周期和高脂食物对布氏田鼠能量代谢和产热的影响

为了研究光周期和高脂食物对小型哺乳动物能量代谢和产热的影响,将成年雌性布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)分别驯化于长光照低脂、高脂食物和短光照低脂、高脂食物,7周后测定动物的体重、能量摄入、产热、血清瘦素浓度以及褐色脂肪组织解偶联蛋白1(BAT-UCP1)含量等参数.结果发现:1)短光照抑制体重增长、降低体脂重量和血清瘦素水平,增加非颤抖性产热(NST)和UCP1含量;2)高脂食物使摄入能减少和消化率提高,但未显著影响体重、基础代谢率、NST、UCP1含量和血清瘦素;3)血清瘦素与摄入能不相关,但与体脂含量正相关.结果暗示:短光照下瘦素作用敏感性增加和产热能力增强,可能介导了抵抗高脂食物诱导的肥胖.在野外条件下草食性的布氏田鼠能通过能量代谢和产热的适应性调节避免体重的过度增长,有利于降低捕食风险,增强生存能力.同时布氏田鼠是研究食物诱导肥胖机理的一个好模型     

布氏田鼠哺乳期低温经历抑制成年期神经再生

哺乳动物在出生前后所经历的环境条件对其成年后的行为和生理等具有重要影响。环境温度是影响动物后代表型的重要因素之一。本研究将分娩当天的布氏田鼠母体和幼仔在常温（23℃±1℃）或低温（4℃±1℃）饲养,断乳（21日龄）时转至常温环境,至第63日龄时再随机将两组动物各分为常温组和低温暴露组,期间检测体重、摄食量、静止代谢率、认知能力和神经细胞增殖和存活等,以验证哺乳期的低温经历可影响成年动物的代谢生理、行为表型和相关脑区神经再生的假说。结果发现：哺乳期低温经历导致成年布氏田鼠摄食量显著降低,与代谢有关的下丘脑以及学习记忆有关的海马区细胞增殖和存活数量减少。当动物在成年期面临冷暴露时,与哺乳期常温经历的动物相比,哺乳期低温经历的动物摄食量较低,在Y迷宫新异臂中的穿梭次数和停留时间显著降低,但海马和下丘脑部分核团的细 胞增殖以及海马CA的细胞存活明显升高。这表明哺乳期低温经历对布氏田鼠的能量代谢、行为和相关脑区的成体神经再生产生了持久的抑制效应,但成年后再次面对低温时,动物的代谢能力和代谢及学习记忆相关脑区的神经细胞可塑性优于哺乳期未曾经历低温的动物。     

Photoperiodic regulation in energy intake, thermogenesis and body mass in root voles (Microtus oeconomus)

The present study was designed to examine whether photoperiod alone was effective to induce seasonal regulations in physiology in root voles (Microtus oeconomus) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau noted for its extreme cold environment. Root voles were randomly assigned into either long photoperiod (LD; 16L:8D) or short photoperiod (SD; 8L:16D) for 4 weeks at constant temperature (20 degrees C). At the end of acclimation, SD voles showed lower body mass and body fat coupled with higher energy intake than LD voles. SD greatly enhanced thermogenic capacities in root voles, as indicated by elevated basal metabolic rate (BMR), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), mitochondrial protein content and uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) content in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Although no variations in serum leptin levels were found between SD and LD voles, serum leptin levels were positively correlated with body mass and body fat mass, and negatively correlated with energy intake and UCP1 content in BAT, respectively. To summarize, SD alone is effective in inducing higher thermogenic capacities and energy intake coupled with lower body mass and body fat mass in root voles. Leptin is potentially involved in the photoperiod induced body mass regulation and thermogenesis in root voles.     

Regulation of body weight and thermogenesis in seasonally acclimatized Brandt's voles (Microtus brandti)

Seasonal changes in an animal's morphology, physiology, and behavior are considered to be an adaptive strategy for survival and reproductive success. In the present study, we examined body weight and several behavioral, physiological, hormonal, and biochemical markers in seasonally acclimatized Brandt's voles (Microtus brandti) to test our hypothesis that Brandt's voles can decrease energy intake associated with decrease in body weight, body fat content, serum leptin level, and increasing thermogenesis in winter conditions. We found that the body weight of Brandt's voles was lowest in winter (December to February) and highest in spring and early summer (May to June). This seasonal variation in body weight was associated with changes in other markers examined. For example, the winter decrease in body weight was accompanied by increased energy intake and enhanced nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) as well as by decreased body fat mass and reduced levels of circulating leptin. Further, circulating levels of leptin were positively correlated with body weight and body fat mass, and negatively correlated with energy intake and uncoupling protein 1 contents. Together, these data do not support our hypothesis and suggest that leptin may be involved in this process and serve as a starvation signal in Brandt's voles.     

光周期对布氏田鼠和长爪沙鼠体重和能量代谢的影响

本文测定了光周期对雄性布氏田鼠和长爪沙鼠的体重、基础代谢率和能量代谢的影响。动物从长光照(16L∶8D , LD) 转入短光照(8L∶16D , SD) 条件下驯化6 周(田鼠) 和7 周(沙鼠) 。结果显示: (1) 无论在LD还是SD 条件下, 两种动物的体重都趋于增加, 但反应程度不同也具有种间差异性。两种动物的体重对光周期的反应有时段性, 约14 d 前两种动物的体重增加迅速, 而后增加缓慢, 3 周左右趋于稳定。短光照条件下布氏田鼠和长爪沙鼠的体重分别增长了37 %和11 % , 均低于长光照组(分别为47 %和25 %) , 说明短光照条件下布氏田鼠和长爪沙鼠的体重增长较长光照缓慢; (2) 光照对两种动物的摄入能、消化能和可代谢能均没有显著影响,摄入能与体重的增长无关; (3) 光照对两种动物的基础代谢率无显著影响。这些结果表明: 布氏田鼠和长爪沙鼠在自然环境中, 可能以光周期作为一种信号, 当环境温度降低、食物质量变劣时, 采取降低体重以减少绝对能量需求的策略而适应环境。     

单宁酸对布氏田鼠抗氧化水平和肝脏自噬相关基因表达的影响

单宁为植物中广泛存在的酚类植物次生代谢物,具有抗氧化功能,但是否影响动物细胞的自噬功能,仍不清楚.本研究对4周龄雌雄性布氏田鼠饲喂高、低浓度单宁酸溶液9周后,分别用酶联免疫吸附法和荧光定量PCR法测定血浆抗氧化水平和肝脏细胞自噬相关基因表达的变化.结果 显示,单宁酸对布氏田鼠的体重增长率和肝脏指数均无显著影响.高剂量组...     

Cold exposure does not decrease serum leptin concentration,but increases energy intake and thermogenic capacity in pregnant Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

In most mammals, maternal body mass and fat mass increase during pregnancy due to hyperphagia. These physiological changes provide the fetus with energy and nutrients and prepare the mother for the high energetic demands of lactation. In the present study, metabolic changes in response to cold and pregnancy were examined in female Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii). At 23±1 °C, the voles increased body mass and deposited body fat during pregnancy. However, at 5±1 °C pregnant voles did not deposit body fat even though energy intake increased above the level in the warm. Serum leptin concentration increased during pregnancy and was not influenced by cold exposure. Thermogenic capacity, as indicated by uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) content in brown adipose tissue (BAT), increased in cold-exposed pregnant voles. The number and mass of fetuses were not affected by cold exposure. Our data may indicate the importance of an increased serum leptin concentration for a successful outcome of the pregnancy and also the independence of leptin secretion from body fat in pregnant voles. It also implies the need to develop central leptin resistance with respect to control of energy balance for pregnant voles.     

长爪沙鼠和布氏田鼠汗腺的分布与密度

哺乳动物受到高温胁迫时可通过分泌汗液调节体温。一般认为啮齿类在高温时不出汗,但有关野生啮齿类汗腺的资料不多。我们以长爪沙鼠和布氏田鼠为研究对象,采用苏木精—伊红染色方法,观察了身体各部位皮肤的形态学特征、汗腺的分布和密度。结果显示:(1)两种鼠的头部、口角、胸部、腋窝、腹部、背部和后腿部的皮肤都无汗腺分布,只在不被毛的前足与被毛的后足有外泌汗腺分布;(2)长爪沙鼠前、后足皮肤汗腺的密度分别为(2.40±0.49)个/mm2和(0.15±0.03)个/mm2,前足显著多于后足;布氏田鼠前、后足皮肤汗腺的密度分别为(0.37±0.05)个/mm2和(0.21±0.08)个/mm2,前、后足无显著差异。两种鼠前后足皮肤的汗腺密度可能与被毛状态相关,有被毛则汗腺密度低。推测长爪沙鼠和布氏田鼠前后足的汗腺可能具有辅助散热和运动时增加摩擦力等功能。     

Different physiological roles of serum leptin in the regulation of energy intake and thermogenesis between pregnancy and lactation in primiparous Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

Reproduction, especially lactation, is associated with major metabolic adaptive changes. In this study, we investigated the metabolic changes and the roles of leptin during different periods of reproduction in primiparous Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii). Energy intake, thermogenic capacity and serum leptin levels were examined in non-reproductive, mid pregnant, late pregnant, early lactating and peak lactating voles. Voles increased body mass by nearly 70% during late pregnancy compared to the non-breeding controls. The increase in body mass was mainly due to the increase in body fat mass which increased by 56%, and the growth of the reproductive tissues and digestive organs. Lactating voles decreased body fat by nearly 27% at peak lactation compared to the controls, and 53% compared to late pregnant voles. At the same time they increased food intake significantly. Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) content in brown adipose tissue (BAT) decreased significantly at peak lactation. Serum leptin increased significantly in the mid pregnancy, at a time when there was no increase in body fat, and remained at this high level in late pregnancy. Leptin levels decreased after parturition and reached a nadir at peak lactation. Serum leptin was negatively correlated with energy intake during lactation, but not during pregnancy. These data suggest that Brandt's voles adjust energy intake, thermogenic capacity and body reserves to match the high energy demands for reproduction. Hyperleptinemia, without decreased energy intake suggests a state of leptin resistance during pregnancy, and hypoleptinemia during lactation might act as a signal to stimulate energy intake.     

Effects of fasting and refeeding on body mass,thermogenesis and serum leptin in Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

(1)

To investigate the effect of fasting and refeeding on the body mass, thermogenesis and serum leptin in Brandt's voles, the changes in body and body fat mass, resting metabolic rate (RMR), mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in liver and brown adipose tissue (BAT), uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) content of BAT, serum leptin level and post-fasting food intake were monitored and measured.     

内蒙古典型草原布氏田鼠营养生态位及其种间关系

研究啮齿动物营养生态位不仅可以了解啮齿动物在生态系统中所占据的营养层,而且可以揭示啮齿动物不同生长发育时期的主要食物来源及变化,通过分析营养生态位的特征及变化,可以探讨多种啮齿动物的种间关系。本研究于2018年7月,在内蒙古典型草原采用铗日法捕获啮齿动物标本4种81只,应用稳定性¹³C、¹⁵N同位素技术对布氏田鼠（Lasiopodomys brandtii）营养生态位及其与达乌尔黄鼠（Spermophilus dauricus）、黑线毛足鼠（Phodopus sungorus）、五趾跳鼠（Allactaga sibirica）的种间关系进行研究。结果表明：（1）布氏田鼠不同年龄组骨骼组织营养生态位宽度即稳定同位素贝叶斯标准椭圆面积,Ⅲ龄组最高（0.802‰²）,Ⅱ龄组次之（0.699‰²）,Ⅳ龄组最低（0.666‰²）,3个年龄组之间营养生态位共同重叠面积为0.064‰²,其共同食物源仅占不到10%;（2）布氏田鼠无论是长期食性或短期食性,与另外3种均不存在食物源竞争,但布氏田鼠生态位宽度较窄对食物的选择性较强,因此一旦食物源成分改变不再适于该鼠,布氏田鼠种群极有可能面临食物源短缺,种群迁移可能是最直接的选择。     

光周期对雄性布氏田鼠种内个体气味辨别的影响

本文研究了成年雄性布氏田鼠对不同光照周期下(长光照: LD; 短光照: SD) 的陌生雌鼠和陌生雄鼠气味的行为表现。实验发现: 所有被试雄鼠对LD 雄鼠、雌鼠气味比SD 雄鼠、雌鼠气味有更多的社会探究行为。LD 雄鼠比SD 雄鼠对同性或异性陌生个体气味的嗅闻和挖掘行为要多, 而且差异显著。在探究LD 动情雌鼠气味源时, LD 雄鼠比SD 雄鼠表现出更多的嗅闻和挖掘行为; 在探究SD 动情雌鼠气味源时, LD 和SD 雄鼠的行为反应没有明显差别。所有被试雄鼠在LD 雄鼠气味源箱中的停留时间都显著多于在SD 雄鼠气味源箱中的停留时间。LD 雄鼠在LD 雌鼠气味源箱中的停留时间显著多于在SD 雌鼠气味源箱中的停留时间; 而SD 雄鼠在LD 和SD 雌鼠气味源箱中的进入频次和停留时间没有明显差别。同时, LD 雄鼠对LD 动情雌鼠的气味在嗅闻频次和嗅闻时间上多于非动情LD 雌鼠, 而对SD 动情和非动情雌鼠的气味没有表现出明显的偏好; SD 雄鼠对LD 和SD 动情雌鼠的嗅闻行为仅在频次上显著多于对非动情雌鼠的嗅闻, 而在时间上没有显著差别。结果表明: 布氏田鼠嗅觉通讯中的个体气味及其对气味进行辨别过程中的行为反应都随着光照周期的不同而发生变化。动物的个体气味带有季节性信息, 来源于长光照下的气味比短光照下的气味更具有性吸引; 短光照在一定程度上可能抑制了雌鼠的动情和雄鼠的性行为反应。其嗅觉通讯行为的适应意义可能在于: 减少秋季短日照环境下的繁殖活动, 提高雄性个体之间的社会容忍性以利于集群越冬。     

Energy metabolism, thermogenesis and body mass regulation in Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii) during cold acclimation and rewarming

Environmental cues play important roles in the regulation of an animal's physiology and behavior. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that ambient temperature was a cue to induce adjustments in body mass, energy intake and thermogenic capacity, associated with changes in serum leptin levels in Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii). We found that Brandt's voles increased resting metabolic rate (RMR) and energy intake and kept body mass stable when exposed to the cold while showed a significant increase in body mass after rewarming. The increase in body mass after rewarming was associated with the higher energy intake compared with control. Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) content in brown adipose tissue (BAT) increased in the cold and reversed after rewarming. Serum leptin levels decreased in the cold while increased after rewarming, associated with the opposite changes in energy intake. Further, serum leptin levels were positively correlated with body mass and body fat mass. Together, these data supported our hypothesis that ambient temperature was a cue to induce changes in body mass and metabolism. Serum leptin, as a starvation signal in the cold and satiety signal in rewarming, was involved in the processes of thermogenesis and body mass regulation in Brandt's voles.     

布氏田鼠肝毛细线虫感染率与其体重的关系

2005年5月和8月,在内蒙古锡林郭勒北部典型草原调查了肝毛细线虫对布氏田鼠种群的感染特征,分析肝毛细线虫对布氏田鼠的感染率与其性别、年龄、体重及种群密度的关系。结果表明:肝毛细线虫对布氏田鼠感染率没有性别差异,雄鼠与雌鼠的感染率相当;但是与布氏田鼠体重/年龄密切相关:幼鼠的感染率较低,成鼠感染率较高,感染率和平均感染度均随着个体年龄的增长而增高。布氏田鼠达到一定的年龄(或体重)后才可感染肝毛细线虫病,其最低感染体重为24.3 g。布氏田鼠的种群密度对肝毛细线虫的感染率和平均感染度没有明显的影响,但同一样地不同季节感染率不同,本次调查显示,2005年5月份感染率高于8月份群体感染率,同一样地的春季感染率与秋季感染率之间呈现出显著的正相关。     

布氏田鼠社会行为对光周期的适应格局

对实验室内不同光周期条件下的布氏田鼠陌生成体—亚成体间社会行为模式的初步研究显示:不同光周期下成体对亚成体（特别是对雄性亚成体）的行为反应具性二型特征,长光照周期下（light:dark,14L:10D)成体与亚成体同性组合间的争斗较异性组合间的明显,容忍性低,其中成体雄对亚成体雄尤甚。短光照周期下（light:dark,10L:14D）成体雄对亚成体雄、成体雌对亚成体雌及亚成体雄的相容性均较成体雄对亚成体雌的容忍性低,尤成体雌对亚成体雄的排斥表现更为突出,其容忍性也较长光照条件下对应组的低。结果表明,不同光周期条件下布氏田鼠成体与亚成体间的社会行为模式不同。在自然条件下,这些行为模式是其对环境季节变化的一种有效适应,它影响种群中未成年个体存活、补充、扩散重组以及社群结构、种群空间格局季节变化,对该鼠的生存和繁殖有利。     

Pre- and post-weaning cold exposure does not lead to an obese phenotype in adult Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

Evidence has shown that postnatal undernutrition, overnutrition and cold stress are associated with imbalanced metabolic regulation as rodents achieve adulthood. In this study, we used a breeding colony of Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii), a wild rodent species from the Inner Mongolia grasslands in China, to examine the effects of pre- and post-weaning cold exposure on the adult body (fat) mass, serum hormones and hypothalamic neuropeptides. Unlike laboratory rodents, vole offspring exposed to pre-weaning cold did not exhibit overweight or obese phenotypes in adulthood compared with unexposed controls. Moreover, adult male voles that remained in colder conditions had less body mass and lower serum leptin levels despite having higher food intake compared to other groups. To understand the mechanism of this unexpected regulation, hypothalamic gene expression was assessed for pre- and post-weaning cold exposure. Voles exposed to cold before weaning increased hypothalamic, orexigenic agouti-related protein (AgRP) and decreased anorexigenic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA expression at weaning. These expression changes were associated with hyperphagia and catch-up growth after weaning. Interestingly, these changes in hypothalamic neuropeptides were short lasting because in adult voles these differences were no longer apparent, which might explain why the pre-weaning, cold-exposed voles did not become obese in adulthood. These data suggest that some species do not develop an obese phenotype in response to early life cold stress.     

Effects of temperature and photoperiod on thermogenesis in plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) and root voles (Microtus oeconomus)

We examined the effects of temperature and photoperiod on metabolic thermogenesis and the thermogenic characteristics of brown adipose tissue in plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) and root voles (Microtus oeconomus), the dominant species of small mammals in the alpine meadow ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Pikas and voles were acclimated in the following groups: (1) Long day – warm temperature (16L:8D, 23 °C), (2) Long day – cold temperature (16L:8D, 5 °C), (3) short day – warm temperature (8L:16D, 23 °C), and (4) short day – cold temperature (8L:16D, 5 °C). Both temperature and photoperiod were important environmental cues for changes in thermogenesis for both species. Low temperature and short photoperiod induced increases in metabolic rate, nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), mitochondrial protein contents of brown adipose tissue, and cytochrome C oxidase activity of brown adipose tissue mitochondria in both species. Plateau pikas were more sensitive to cold (79% of the total NST response) than to short photoperiod (21%), while root voles were more sensitive to short photoperiod (60% of the total NST response) than to cold (40%), although cold clearly enhanced thermogenesis. Their thermogenic characteristics correlated with their preferred habitats: plateau pikas are found mainly in more exposed microhabitats in open sunny meadow, while root voles live in more sheltered microhabitats in relatively closed shrub. Our results also showed that temperature and photoperiod combined induce thermogenic adjustments in both species in seasonal acclimatization in their alpine meadow macrohabitat. Accepted: 10 November 1998     

High body weight associated with impaired nonshivering thermogenesis but improved glucose tolerance in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Overweight and obesity correspond with metabolic syndromes, such as glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes. The objective of this study was to determine whether decreased thermogenesis mass and glucose intolerance are directly related to changes in body mass in Mongolian gerbils. High body weight gerbils displayed increase in total body fat mass especially epididymal fat pad, and decrease in nonshivering thermogenesis, as indicated by depressed mitochondrial protein content and uncoupling protein-1 content in brown adipose tissue. No variations of sirtuin 1 and subunit IV of cytochrome oxidase expression were found in brown adipose tissue and skeletal muscle between the two groups. High body weight gerbils showed increased serum leptin and insulin concentrations but surprisingly increased glucose tolerance, suggesting a difference from other obese species in the regulation of glucose metabolism. Serum leptin levels were negatively correlated with UCP1 content in BAT and positively correlated with energy intake and insulin concentration. Our data suggest that leptin may be involved in thermogenesis regulation, insulin secretion and glucose metabolism in HBW gerbils.