Immunological, histological and biochemical assessment of brown adipose tissue activity in neonatal, control and beta-stimulant-treated adult dogs.

Significant levels of mitochondrial uncoupling protein were demonstrated on neonatal dog mitochondria prepared from perirenal, bladder and subcutaneous adipose tissue sites. The protein was not detected in homogenates of adipose tissue samples from the same sites in adult, control dogs. However, chronic treatment of adult dogs with a beta-stimulant (LY 79730) led to the appearance of detectable amounts of uncoupling protein in perirenal and bladder but not subcutaneous adipose tissue depots. Decreases in mean cell diameter, increases in the frequency of multilocular cells and of cytochrome oxidase and creatine kinase were also associated with the effects of treatment on dog adipose tissue. The results demonstrate the age-related decline in dog brown adipose tissue and its reversal by chronic treatment with beta-stimulant.