title: Effects of rearing temperature on sympathoadrenal activity in young adult rats.
abstract: Animals reared at 18 degrees C exhibit enhanced innervation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and greater cold tolerance as adults, yet gain more weight when fed an enriched diet compared with rats reared at 30 degrees C. To explore this paradox, sympathoadrenal activity was examined using techniques of [(3)H]norepinephrine ([(3)H]NE) turnover and urinary catecholamine excretion in male and female rats reared until 2 mo of age at 18 or 30 degrees C. Gene expression in BAT was also analyzed for several sympathetically related proteins. Although [(3)H]NE turnover in heart did not differ between groups, [(3)H]NE turnover in BAT was consistently elevated in the 18 degrees C-reared animals, even 2 mo after removal from the cool environment. Gene expression for uncoupling proteins 1 and 3, GLUT-4, leptin, and the alpha(1A)-adrenergic receptor was more abundant in BAT and the increase in epinephrine excretion with fasting suppressed in 18 degrees C-reared animals. These studies demonstrate that obesity consequent to exposure to 18 degrees C in early life occurs despite tonic elevation of sympathetic input to BAT. Diminished adrenal epinephrine responsiveness to fasting may play a contributory role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611-3008, USA. jbyoung@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boufath
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000652:urine; D003080:Cold Temperature; D017931:DNA Primers; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D029363:Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Dependent; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D022702:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013395:Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D027981:Symporters; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002395:Catecholamines; D017931:DNA Primers; D029363:Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Dependent; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D022702:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3; D027981:Symporters; C071908:sodium-bile acid cotransporter; D013395:Sucrose; D009638:Norepinephrine