Sustained torpidity following multi-dose administration of 3-iodothyronamine in mice

✍ Scribed by Hyunwoo Ju; Hyekyoung So; Kyungbong Ha; Kyoungsook Park; Ju-Woon Lee; Chan-Moon Chung; Inho Choi

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 264 KB
• Volume: 226
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9541
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.22573

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Despite significant medical benefits as in space exploration or emergency care, prolonged torpidity of non‐hibernator mammals remains unexplored to date. Here, we report that male Institute of Cancer Research mice could sustain two separate 2‐day torpor bouts and maintain body temperature of 28–33°C following repeated treatments of 3‐iodothyronamine (T~1~AM), a natural derivative of thyroid hormone. A 1‐day interbout arousal period, adopted to mimic the behavior of true hibernators, seemed critical for the subjects to restore physiological homeostasis. Molecular studies of neuron‐specific enolase, S100 calcium binding protein B and heat shock protein 72 suggested that the brain maintains functional and cytoprotective activities during sustained torpidity. Together, the results of this study propose a practical protocol using a torpor‐arousal cycle that can be applied to the extreme medical situations. J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 853–858, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.