Effects of ethanol on the induction of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) mRNA in the mouse brown adipose tissue.
Expression of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) is increased by cold acclimation and overfeeding, and reduced in fasting and genetic obesity. It is known that the mitochondrial UCP1 in the brown adipose tissue (BAT) is an important key molecule for non-shivering thermogenesis. On the other hand, ethanol (EtOH) alters thermoregulation in humans and laboratory animals. However, the relationship between EtOH intake and UCP1 expression is not yet clear. Accordingly, the present study employed the technique of real-time quantitative polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) to investigate the effects of EtOH (0.5 or 2.0 g/kg) on the expression of UCP1 mRNA in the mouse BAT. Control mice were injected with the same volume of physiological saline intraperitoneally (IP). IP injection of EtOH (0.5 g/kg) caused a decrease and an increase of the expression of BAT UCP1 mRNA at 1 and 4 hours, respectively. Treatment with EtOH (2.0 g/kg) caused an increases of the expression of BAT UCP1 mRNA at both 2 and 4 hours. BAT UCP1 mRNA levels in both groups increased at 4 hours after EtOH administration. The levels of UCP1 mRNA returned to the control levels by 8 hours after EtOH administration. The expression of BAT UCP1 mRNA was upregulated following EtOH administration, although a lower dose of EtOH initially reduced the expression of UCP1 mRNA in BAT. These findings suggest that EtOH-induced UCP1 mRNA expression in BAT reflects an alteration of the set point of thermogenesis.
Yoshimoto
Kanji
K
Department of Legal Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan. kyoshimo@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Yasuhara
Masahiro
M
Komura
Setsuo
S
Misumi
Yuki
Y
Uchiyama
Yuki
Y
Kogure
Akinori
A
Hioki
Chizuko
C
Wakabayashi
Yasuo
Y
Satomi
Yoshiko
Y
Nishimura
Akira
A
Fukuda
Fumihiko
F
Hori
Masafumi
M
Yokoyama
Chihiro
C
Yoshida
Toshihide
T
D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D022722:Thermogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C000604371:UCP1 protein, human; C000604372:Ucp1 protein, mouse; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1; D000431:Ethanol