Adjustments in energy metabolism of brown adipose tissue in heat-acclimated Kunming mice

Abstract

The thermogenic capacity of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in rodents decreases with prolonged heat exposure. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, Kunming mice were acclimated at 23 ± 1 °C and 33 ± 1 °C for four weeks each to examine the body heat balance and BAT alterations. Results showed that heat-acclimated Kunming mice exhibited reduced body mass and elevated body temperature. Additionally, they displayed lower resting metabolic rates, diminished non-shivering thermogenesis, and reduced BAT thermogenic function. Metabolically, there was a significant reduction in several key metabolites involved in energy metabolism in BAT, including thiamine pyrophosphate, citric acid, cis-Aconitate, isocitric acid, oxoglutaric acid, succinate, fumarate, L-Malic acid, oxaloacetate, flavin mononucleotide, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, and adenosine 5′-triphosphate. These findings suggest that BAT adapts to heat acclimation by regulating pathways related to pyruvate oxidation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation, which may help maintain thermal homeostasis in Kunming mice.