Seasonal thermogenesis and body mass regulation in plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae)

• Main Authors: Wang, Jian-Mei, Zhang, Yan-Ming, Wang, De-Hua
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: Basal Metabolic Rate; Nonshivering Thermogenesis; Cytochrome c Oxidase; Leptin; Plateau Pika (Ochotona Curzonia); 生物科学; Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; BROWN ADIPOSE-TISSUE; NON-SHIVERING THERMOGENESIS; VOLES MICROTUS-OECONOMUS; DJUNGARIAN HAMSTER; BRANDTS VOLES; DICROSTONYX-GROENLANDICUS; UNCOUPLING PROTEINS; ENERGY-EXPENDITURE; WINTER SURVIVAL; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Ecology; Dicrostonyx groenlandicus
• Online Access: http://ir.nwipb.ac.cn/handle/363003/1320

Changes in photoperiod, ambient temperature and food availability trigger seasonal acclimatization in physiology and behavior of many animals. In the present study, seasonal adjustments in body mass and in several physiological, hormonal, and biochemical markers were examined in wild-captured plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Our results showed that plateau pikas maintained a relatively constant body mass throughout the year and showed no seasonal changes in body fat mass and circulating levels of serum leptin. However, nonshivering thermogenesis, cytochrome c oxidase activity, and mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) contents in brown adipose tissues were significantly enhanced in winter. Further, serum leptin levels were positively correlated with body mass and body fat mass while negatively correlated with UCP1 contents. Together, these data suggest that plateau pikas mainly depend on increasing thermogenic capacities, rather than decreasing body mass, to cope with cold, and leptin may play a potential role in their thermogenesis and body mass regulation. Changes in photoperiod, ambient temperature and food availability trigger seasonal acclimatization in physiology and behavior of many animals. In the present study, seasonal adjustments in body mass and in several physiological, hormonal, and biochemical markers were examined in wild-captured plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Our results showed that plateau pikas maintained a relatively constant body mass throughout the year and showed no seasonal changes in body fat mass and circulating levels of serum leptin. However, nonshivering thermogenesis, cytochrome c oxidase activity, and mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) contents in brown adipose tissues were significantly enhanced in winter. Further, serum leptin levels were positively correlated with body mass and body fat mass while negatively correlated with UCP1 contents. Together, these data suggest that plateau pikas mainly ...