Viswanathan M, Hissa R, George J C
J Pineal Res. 1986;3(4):311-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-079x.1986.tb00754.x.
This study investigated whether short photoperiod or melatonin-treatment could alter the thermogenic capacity of Syrian hamsters. Exposure of hamsters to short photoperiod and to exogenous melatonin treatment induced gonadal regression and hypertrophy of brown adipose tissue (BAT). Short photoperiod and melatonin-induced BAT hypertrophy was not accompanied by any change in noradrenaline (NA) turnover in this tissue. The concentration of NA was significantly decreased in hypertrophied BAT, indicating that sympathetic innervation in BAT did not effect its hypertrophy. No improvement in nonshivering thermogenic capacity was noticed in hamsters with increased BAT mass. However, capability for shivering thermogenesis seemed to be enhanced in melatonin-treated hamsters. These observations suggest that melatonin, in addition to mediating short photoperiod-induced gonadal regression in the Syrian hamster, also brings about thermoregulatory adjustments necessary for hibernation.
本研究调查了短光照周期或褪黑素处理是否会改变叙利亚仓鼠的产热能力。将仓鼠暴露于短光照周期并进行外源性褪黑素处理会导致性腺退化和棕色脂肪组织（BAT）肥大。短光照周期和褪黑素诱导的BAT肥大并未伴随该组织中去甲肾上腺素（NA）周转率的任何变化。肥大的BAT中NA浓度显著降低，表明BAT中的交感神经支配并未影响其肥大。BAT质量增加的仓鼠未观察到非颤抖产热能力的改善。然而，褪黑素处理的仓鼠颤抖产热能力似乎增强。这些观察结果表明，褪黑素除了介导叙利亚仓鼠短光照周期诱导的性腺退化外，还带来了冬眠所需的体温调节调整。
