Effects of cold acclimation in dystrophic hamsters: reduction of heart necrosis.

The effects of cold acclimation on brown adipose tissue, heart, and skeletal muscles were evaluated to assess if the increase in metabolic activity associated with chronic exposure to 4 degrees C had any influence on the progression of the syndrome in dystrophic hamsters. Body weight gain was much slower in dystrophic animals kept at 22 degrees C and was unaffected by cold acclimation. Rates of O2 consumption and CO2 production were similar in normal and dystrophic hamsters kept at 22 degrees C, and both were increased in cold-acclimated normal and dystrophic animals. The amount of interscapular brown adipose tissue was about one-half of normal in dystrophic hamsters kept at 22 degrees C. In response to cold acclimation, as in normal hamsters, brown adipose tissue of dystrophic hamsters grew and increased its thermogenin content by more than fourfold. However, the concentration of thermogenin in isolated mitochondria remained unchanged. Heart ventricular hypertrophy was also observed in both normal and dystrophic hamsters after cold acclimation. The number and extent of cardiac necrotic lesions were significantly reduced in cold-acclimated dystrophic animals when compared with age-matched dystrophic hamsters kept at 22 degrees C. Heart calcium content and plasma creatine kinase levels were also reduced in dystrophic hamsters after cold acclimation. However, in soleus muscles the prevalence of centronucleated fibers, an indirect cumulative index of necrosis, as well as the extent of tissue necrosis were not significantly reduced in cold-acclimated dystrophic animals. Thus cold acclimation of dystrophic hamsters appeared to reduce necrosis predominantly in the heart.