Abstract
1. 1. The role of pancreatic hormones, especially glucagon in the thermogenic function of brown adipose tissue (BAT) was investigated in rats. 2. 2. Plasma glucagon level increased in the cold-acclimated rats, while it decreased in the heat-acclimated ones. A significant positive relationship was observed between plasma glucagon and blood free fatty acid (FFA) levels as a whole in the warm controls, cold-acclimated and heat-acclimated rats. 3. 3. Glucagon infusion provoked an immediate rise of blood FFA and glucose levels on the venous drainage from the interscapular BAT. The β-adrenergic blocker, propranolol, did not modify these lipolytic and glycogenolytic actions of glucagon. When glucagon infusion was prolonged, the elevation of blood FFA and blood glucose levels was markedly suppressed in the cold-acclimated rats. 4. 4. Glucagon exhibited a marked heat production in the isolated brown adipocytes. 5. 5. Chronic administration of glucagon caused an improved cold tolerance accompanied by enhanced activity of BAT and increased non-shivering thermogenesis. 6. 6.Cold acclimation markedly elevated the content of glucagon as well as insulin in the interscapular BAT, while heat acclimation decreased it. 7. 7.These results would appear to indicate that glucagon as well as insulin is closely involved in the metabolic temperature acclimation, possibly through activation or inhibition of thermogenic mechanism(s) residing in the BAT.
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