scholarly journals Cold Exposure Distinctively Modulates Parathyroid and Thyroid Hormones in Cold-Acclimatized and Non-Acclimatized Humans

Endocrinology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 161 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzana Kovaničová ◽  
Tímea Kurdiová ◽  
Miroslav Baláž ◽  
Patrik Štefanička ◽  
Lukáš Varga ◽  
...  

Abstract Cold-induced activation of thermogenesis modulates energy metabolism, but the role of humoral mediators is not completely understood. We aimed to investigate the role of parathyroid and thyroid hormones in acute and adaptive response to cold in humans. Examinations were performed before/after 15 minutes of ice-water swimming (n = 15) or 120 to 150 minutes of cold-induced nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) applied to cold-acclimatized (n = 6) or non-acclimatized (n = 11) individuals. Deep-neck brown adipose tissue (BAT) was collected from non-acclimatized patients undergoing elective neck surgery (n = 36). Seasonal variations in metabolic/hormonal parameters of ice-water swimmers were evaluated. We found that in ice-water swimmers, PTH and TSH increased and free T3, T4 decreased after a 15-minute winter swim, whereas NST-inducing cold exposure failed to regulate PTH and free T4 and lowered TSH and free T3. Ice-water swimming-induced increase in PTH correlated negatively with systemic calcium and positively with phosphorus. In non-acclimatized men, NST-inducing cold decreased PTH and TSH. Positive correlation between systemic levels of PTH and whole-body metabolic preference for lipids as well as BAT volume was found across the 2 populations. Moreover, NST-cooling protocol-induced changes in metabolic preference for lipids correlated positively with changes in PTH. Finally, variability in circulating PTH correlated positively with UCP1/UCP1, PPARGC1A, and DIO2 in BAT from neck surgery patients. Our data suggest that regulation of PTH and thyroid hormones during cold exposure in humans varies by cold acclimatization level and/or cold stimulus intensity. Possible role of PTH in NST is indicated by its positive relationships with whole-body metabolic preference for lipids, BAT volume, and UCP1 content.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzana Kovaničová ◽  
Tímea Kurdiová ◽  
Miroslav Baláž ◽  
Patrik Štefanička ◽  
Lukáš Varga ◽  
...  

AbstractContextCold-induced activation of thermogenesis modulates energy metabolism, but the role of humoral mediators is not completely understood.ObjectiveTo investigate the role of parathyroid and thyroid hormones in acute and adaptive response to cold in humans.DesignCross-sectional study examining acute response to ice-water swimming and to experimental non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) induction in individuals acclimatized and non-acclimatized to cold. Seasonal variation in energy metabolism of ice-water swimmers and associations between circulating PTH and molecular components of thermogenic program in brown adipose tissue (BAT) of neck-surgery patients were evaluated.SettingClinical Research Center.Patients, ParticipantsIce-water swimmers (winter swim n=15, NST-induction n=6), non-acclimatized volunteers (NST-induction, n=11, elective neck surgery n = 36).Main Outcomes and ResultsIn ice-water swimmers, PTH and TSH increased in response to 15min winter swim, while activation of NST failed to regulate PTH and lowered TSH. In non-acclimatized men, NST-induction decreased PTH and TSH. Positive correlation between systemic levels of PTH and whole-body metabolic preference for lipids as well as BAT 18F-FDG uptake was found across the two populations. Moreover, NST-cooling protocol-induced changes in metabolic preference for lipids correlated positively with changes in PTH. Finally, variability in circulating PTH correlated positively with UCP1/UCP1, PPARGC1A and DIO2 in BAT from neck surgery patients.ConclusionsRegulation of PTH and thyroid hormones during cold exposure in humans depends on the cold acclimatization level and/or cold stimulus intensity. Role of PTH in NST is substantiated by its positive relationships with whole-body metabolic preference for lipids, BAT volume and UCP1 content.


2011 ◽  
Vol 301 (2) ◽  
pp. R473-R483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jake D. Bauwens ◽  
Eric G. Schmuck ◽  
Christopher R. Lindholm ◽  
Rebecca L. Ertel ◽  
Jacob D. Mulligan ◽  
...  

Recent studies indicate that a substantial amount of metabolically active brown adipose tissue (BAT) exists in adult humans. Given the unique ability of BAT to convert calories to heat, there is intense interest in understanding the regulation of BAT metabolism in hopes that its manipulation might be an effective way of expending excess calories. Because of the established role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as a “metabolic master switch” and its extremely high levels of activity in BAT, it was hypothesized that AMPK might play a central role in regulating BAT metabolism. To test this hypothesis, whole body α1-AMPK−/− (knockout) and wild-type mice were studied 1) under control (room temperature) conditions, 2) during chronic cold exposure (14 days at 4°C), and 3) during acute nonshivering thermogenesis (injection of a β3-adrenergic agonist). Under control conditions, loss of α1-AMPK resulted in downregulation of two important prothermogenic genes in BAT, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (−9.2-fold) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (−8.7-fold). Additionally, it caused significant upregulation of α2-AMPK activity in BAT, white adipose tissue, and liver, but not cardiac or skeletal muscle. During acute nonshivering thermogenesis and chronic cold exposure, body temperature was indistinguishable in the α1-AMPK−/− and wild-type mice. Similarly, the degree of cold-induced hyperphagia was identical in the two groups. We conclude that α1-AMPK does not play an obligatory role in these processes and that adaptations to chronic loss of α1-AMPK are able to compensate for its loss via several mechanisms.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1122
Author(s):  
Jamie I. van der van der Vaart ◽  
Mariëtte R. Boon ◽  
Riekelt H. Houtkooper

Obesity is becoming a pandemic, and its prevalence is still increasing. Considering that obesity increases the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases, research efforts are focusing on new ways to combat obesity. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has emerged as a possible target to achieve this for its functional role in energy expenditure by means of increasing thermogenesis. An important metabolic sensor and regulator of whole-body energy balance is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and its role in energy metabolism is evident. This review highlights the mechanisms of BAT activation and investigates how AMPK can be used as a target for BAT activation. We review compounds and other factors that are able to activate AMPK and further discuss the therapeutic use of AMPK in BAT activation. Extensive research shows that AMPK can be activated by a number of different kinases, such as LKB1, CaMKK, but also small molecules, hormones, and metabolic stresses. AMPK is able to activate BAT by inducing adipogenesis, maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and inducing browning in white adipose tissue. We conclude that, despite encouraging results, many uncertainties should be clarified before AMPK can be posed as a target for anti-obesity treatment via BAT activation.


1981 ◽  
Vol 241 (3) ◽  
pp. C134-C139 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Sundin

Reports on a reciprocal relationship between sympathetic-nerve and experimentally induced changes in thyroid-hormone activity called into question the proposed role of thyroxine in the changes seen in the brown fat after cold adaptation. Rats reared at +30, +22, and +5 degrees C received daily injections of thyroxine (1 mg/kg). After 3 wk of treatment, the thermogenic state of the tissue was assessed by measuring the capacity of the brown fat mitochondria to bind guanosine 5'-diphosphate (GDP). GDP-inhibited mitochondrial swelling, brown adipose tissue (BAT) wet weights, and mitochondrial yields were also measured. The control animals showed a linear increase in GDP binding between +30 and +5 degrees C. Thyroxine was found to lower the GDP binding markedly at +5 degrees C, less so at +22 degrees C, while no effect was evident at +30 degrees C. The values at +22 and +30 degrees C were identical. The other parameters studied all confirmed these results. The conclusion made is that the thyroxine-induced rise in basal metabolic rate lowers the critical temperature and reduces the demand for nonshivering thermogenesis. This is reflected in the reduced GDP binding and hence heating capacity of the brown fat mitochondria.


Author(s):  
Claudia Irene Maushart ◽  
Jaël Rut Senn ◽  
Rahel Catherina Loeliger ◽  
Judith Siegenthaler ◽  
Fabienne Bur ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Thyroid hormone is crucial for the adaptation to cold. Objective To evaluate the effect of hyperthyroidism on resting energy expenditure (REE), cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT) and changes in body composition and weight. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Endocrine outpatient clinic at tertiary referral center. Patients Eighteen patients with overt hyperthyroidism. Main Outcome Measures We measured REE during hyperthyroidism, after restoring euthyroid TH levels and after 3 months of normal thyroid function. In fourteen patients energy expenditure (EE) was measured before and after a mild cold exposure of two hours and CIT was the difference between EEcold and EEwarm. Skin temperatures at eight positions were recorded during the study visits. Body composition was assessed by dual X-ray absorption. Results Free T4 (fT4) and free T3 (fT3) decreased significantly over time (fT4, p=0.0003; fT3, p=0.0001). REE corrected for lean body mass (LBM) decreased from 42 ± 6.7 kcal/24h/kg LBM in the hyperthyroid to 33±4.4 kcal/24h/kg LBM (-21%, p<0.0001 vs hyperthyroid) in the euthyroid state and three months later to 33 ± 5.2 kcal/24h/kg LBM (-21%, p=0.0022 vs. hyperthyroid, overall p<0.0001). Free T4 (p=0.0001) and free T3 (p<0.0001) were predictors of REE. CIT did not change from the hyperthyroid to the euthyroid state (p=0.96). Hyperthyroidism led to increased skin temperature at warm ambient conditions but did not alter core body temperature, nor skin temperature after cold exposure. Weight regain and body composition were not influenced by REE and CIT during the hyperthyroid state. Conclusions CIT is not increased in patients with overt hyperthyroidism.


1983 ◽  
Vol 245 (6) ◽  
pp. E582-E586 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hayashi ◽  
T. Nagasaka

Fasting-induced changes in thermogenic responses to norepinephrine (NE, 4.0 micrograms X kg-1 X min-1 iv) were studied in anesthetized rats previously cold acclimated. The rats were divided into five groups at the end of 30–40 days of cold acclimation (5 degrees C). The five groups were kept for 5 days at 25 degrees C and fed (intact fed), fasted (intact fasted), fasted with daily treatment with thyroxine (T4, 2 micrograms/kg sc), thyroidectomized and fed, or thyroidectomized and fasted. In the intact fasted group, in which the weight of brown adipose tissue decreased, NE-induced increases in oxygen consumption, colonic temperature (T col), and temperature of the interscapular brown adipose tissue (TBAT) were markedly suppressed. The two thyroidectomized groups also showed a reduction in thermogenic response. In these three groups, TBAT was lower than Tcol throughout NE infusion. In the T4-treated fasted group, fasting-induced suppression of thermogenic response to NE was largely prevented. In the intact fed and the T4-treated fasted groups, TBAT attained higher values than Tcol during NE infusion. Plasma levels of thyroid hormones were significantly lower in the intact fasted group than in the intact fed or the T4-treated fasted group. These results suggest that fasting-induced suppression of the thermogenic response to NE is largely due to the reduced thermogenic response of brown adipose tissue to NE. The lowering of the levels of the thyroid hormones induced by fasting may be one of a number of causes of the reduction in the thermogenic response of brown adipose tissue.


2020 ◽  
Vol 375 (1793) ◽  
pp. 20190135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naresh C. Bal ◽  
Muthu Periasamy

Thermogenesis in endotherms relies on both shivering and non-shivering thermogenesis (NST). The role of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in NST is well recognized, but the role of muscle-based NST has been contested. However, recent studies have provided substantial evidence for the importance of muscle-based NST in mammals. This review focuses primarily on the role of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2+ -cycling in muscle NST; specifically, it will discuss recent data showing how uncoupling of sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) (inhibition of Ca 2+ transport but not ATP hydrolysis) by sarcolipin (SLN) results in futile SERCA pump activity, increased ATP hydrolysis and heat production contributing to muscle NST. It will also critically examine how activation of muscle NST can be an important factor in regulating metabolic rate and whole-body energy homeostasis. In this regard, SLN has emerged as a powerful signalling molecule to promote mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism in muscle. Furthermore, we will discuss the functional interplay between BAT and muscle, especially with respect to how reduced BAT function in mammals could be compensated by muscle-based NST. Based on the existing data, we argue that SLN-mediated thermogenesis is an integral part of muscle NST and that muscle NST potentially contributed to the evolution of endothermy within the vertebrate clade. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Vertebrate palaeophysiology’.


1992 ◽  
Vol 263 (1) ◽  
pp. E85-E93 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. L. Reed ◽  
M. M. D'Alesandro ◽  
K. R. Kowalski ◽  
L. D. Homer

The influence of cold exposure on triiodothyronine (T3) kinetics was studied in 16 men before, during (biweekly), and after 80 (10/wk) cold (4 degrees C) air exposures. We used serum values before and up to 24 h after a pharmacological oral (o) dose of T3 [76.8 nmol (50 micrograms)] to calculate noncompartmental kinetic parameters. To assess the role of thyroxine (T4) and thyrotropin (TSH), we administered a replacement dose of T3 [46.0 nmol/day (30 micrograms)] to eight men (+T3 group) and placebo to eight others (-T3 group) for the 2-mo study. There was no group effect of T3 treatment (+T3) on oral total volume of distribution (TVdo), metabolic clearance rate (MCRo), or disposal rate (DRo). TVdo was not changed over the study. Cold increased MCRo by 5.4 +/- 2.0 l.day-1.m-2. DRo increased with cold by 10.2 +/- 4.4 nmol.day-1.m-2. Although serum TSH, total T4, and free T4 decreased by approximately 50% in the +T3 group, the changes in MCRo and DRo with cold were not different from those in -T3. We describe that human T3 kinetics are changed with brief repeated exposures to cold air and that these increases in MCRo and DRo do not appear to be dependent on TSH or T4.


1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. A. GREGG ◽  
L. P. MILLIGAN

The role of Na+, K+-ATPase in the energy expenditure of sheep skeletal muscle and the influence of exposure to cold on this role were studied. An in vitro preparation of muscle was developed that achieved O2 availability and a functional membrane potential. A 10−6 M concentration of ouabain yielded a maximum inhibition of respiration of 38.9 ± 1.8% using muscle preparations from a random group of sheep. Whole body and muscle O2 consumptions and ouabain-sensitive muscle respiration were measured for warm- and cold-exposed sheep fed at maintenance or 1150 g of alfalfa pellets per day. Cold exposure increased whole body and muscle O2 consumption. Inhibition of respiration by ouabain was 37.6 ± 1.2% and 41.0 ± 3.6% for warm- and cold-exposed sheep fed at maintenance, and 28.5 ± 4.0% and 45.0 ± 4.0% for warm- and cold-exposed sheep fed 1150 g of alfalfa pellets per day. The increase in the ouabain-sensitive component of respiration accounted for 48–79% of the increased O2 consumption of muscle from cold-exposed sheep. It was concluded that the Na+, K+-ATPase of sheep muscle is a major means of energy expenditure and has an important role in the increased thermogenesis resulting from cold exposure. Key words: Skeletal muscle, Energy expenditure, muscle respiration, cold thermogenesis, sodium-potassium transport


2012 ◽  
Vol 166 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stig Andersen ◽  
Kent Kleinschmidt ◽  
Bodil Hvingel ◽  
Peter Laurberg

ObjectiveAdult man hosts brown adipose tissue with the capacity to consume energy and dissipate heat. This is essential for non-shivering thermogenesis and its activation depends on sympathetic activity and thyroid hormones. This led us to evaluate the impact of chronic cold exposure on thyroid activity and thyroid hormones in serum in Arctic residents.DesignComparative, population-based study (n=535) performed in Greenland.MethodsHunters were compared with other men, and Inuit in remote settlements in East Greenland with no modern housing facilities were compared with the residents of the capital city in West Greenland and residents of a major town in East Greenland in a cross-sectional study. We used interview-based questionnaires, measured TSH, free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine (fT3), thyroglobulin (TG) antibody and TG (a measure of thyroid activity) in serum, and iodine and creatinine in spot urine samples.ResultsSerum TG was the highest among hunters (P=0.009) and settlement dwellers (P=0.001), who were most markedly exposed to cold, even though they had the highest urinary iodine excretion (hunters,P<0.001; settlement dwellers,P<0.001). Hunters and settlement dwellers also had the lowest fT3(hunters,P<0.001; settlement dwellers,P<0.001) after adjusting for gender, age, smoking habits, alcohol intake and iodine excretion in multivariate linear regression models. TSH was not influenced by measures of cold exposure (hunter,P=0.36; residence,P=0.91).ConclusionsCold exposure influenced thyroid hormones and TG in serum in Arctic populations consistent with consumption of thyroid hormone and higher thyroid hormone turnover. Findings emphasise that changes in thyroid activity are essential in cold adaptation in Arctic residents.


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