title: Cold exposure regulates the norepinephrine uptake transporter in rat brown adipose tissue.
abstract: The neuronal uptake of norepinephrine (NE) in sympathetically innervated tissues is mediated by a high-affinity NE uptake transporter (NET). Rat interscapular brown adipose tissue (ISBAT) is densely innervated by the sympathetic nervous system for the control of cold- and diet-induced thermogenesis. To determine if cold exposure regulates the NET, kinetic parameters for [3H]NE uptake and [3H]nisoxetine (Nis) binding were determined in ISBAT from 7-day cold-exposed (CE) and control rats. Uptake of [3H]NE in ISBAT slices was of high affinity (1.6 microM). After 7 days of cold exposure the affinity for [3H]NE uptake was not altered; however, the uptake capacity was decreased (38%) in ISBAT slices from CE rats. Kinetic parameters for [3H]Nis binding demonstrated a single high-affinity site in ISBAT from CE and control rats with similar affinity. The density of [3H]Nis sites in ISBAT was decreased (38%) following cold exposure. A time course (2 h-7 days) for cold exposure demonstrated downregulation of [3H]Nis binding density by day 3, which remained through day 7. The affinity for [3H]Nis binding was transiently decreased at 2 h of cold exposure. Similarly, ISBAT NE content was decreased at 2 h of cold exposure. Pair feeding CE rats to food intake of controls normalized plasma NE content; however, [3H]Nis binding density in ISBAT remained decreased in pair-fed rats. These results demonstrate that the ISBAT NET is downregulated following cold exposure. Reductions in ISBAT NE content precede alterations in NET density; however, plasma NE content is not related to regulation of the NET.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0082, USA.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Dwoskin
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cassis
mesh_terms: D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012016:Reference Values; D027981:Symporters; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C493226:Slc6a2 protein, rat; D027981:Symporters; D005473:Fluoxetine; C011386:nisoxetine; D009638:Norepinephrine