Effect of epinephrine deficiency on cold tolerance and on brown adipose tissue

    Authors

    R. I. Sharara-Chami; M. Joachim; M. Mulcahey; S. Ebert;J. A. Majzoub

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Mol. Cell. Endocrinol.

    Keywords

    Hypothermia; Epinephrine; Knockout; Thermogenesis; Brown adipose tissue; TARGETED DISRUPTION; RECEPTOR GENE; MICE LACKING; ADAPTIVE; THERMOGENESIS; OBESITY; SYSTEM; Cell Biology; Endocrinology & Metabolism

    Abstract

    Catecholamines are involved in thermogenesis. We investigated the specific role of epinephrine in regulation of temperature homeostasis in mice. We subjected adult wildtype (WT) and phenylethanolamine N-methyl transferase knock out mice (Pnmt(-/-)) lacking epinephrine to cold for 24h. Body temperature and thyroid hormone levels were not different between WT and Pnmt(-/-) mice. Although temperature was normal in Pnmt(-/-) mice, the brown fat response to cold was abnormal with no increase in Ucp-1 or Pgc-1 alpha mRNA levels (but with an exaggerated cold-induced lipid loss from the tissue). Our results show that epinephrine may have a role in brown fat mitochondrial uncoupling through regulation of Ucp-1 and Pgc-1 alpha, although this is not required to maintain a normal temperature during acute cold exposure. We conclude that epinephrine may have an important role in induction of Ucp-1 and Pgc-1 alpha gene expression during cold stress. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology

    Volume

    328

    Issue/Number

    1-2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2010

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    34

    Last Page

    39

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000282467200006

    ISSN

    0303-7207

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