Effects of photoperiod and temperature on the body mass, thermogenesis, and serum leptin levels of Apodemus draco (Rodentia: Muridae) in the Hengduan Mountain region, China

• Published in: Zoological studies Vol. 52; no. 1
• Main Authors: Zhu, Wan-Long, Yang, Guang, Zhang, Lin, Wang, Zheng-Kun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 30.09.2013
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Life Sciences; Zoology; Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1); Temperature; Photoperiod; Serum leptin levels
• ISSN: 1810-522X
• DOI: 10.1186/1810-522X-52-20

Background Environmental cues play important roles in the regulation of physiology and behavior in small mammals. In the present study, we performed a factorial experiment (temperature × photoperiod) in which the South China field mouse Apodemus draco (Rodentia: Muridae) was acclimated to different photoperiods (a long photoperiod of 16 h light/8 h dark and a short photoperiod of 8 h light/16 h dark) and temperatures (warm at 30°C and cold at 5°C) to test the hypothesis that photoperiod, temperature, or both together can trigger changes in serum leptin levels, body mass, thermogenesis, and energy intake. Results Body mass, the resting metabolic rate (RMR), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), and energy intake significantly decreased in the cold condition. Cold exposure induced increases in mitochondrial protein contents, cytochrome C oxidase (COX) activity, and α-glycerophosphate oxidase (α-GPO) in the liver and brown adipose tissue (BAT). There were no significant differences in mitochondrial protein contents, COX, or α-GPO under different photoperiods. Cold also induced an increase in uncoupling protein 1 in the BAT but showed no significant differences with photoperiod. Conclusions All of the results indicated that A. draco was more sensitive to temperature. Further, serum leptin levels were involved in the processes of thermogenesis and body mass regulation in A. draco .