[Experimental study on effect of burn on brown adipose tissue in mice]

To investigate the effect of burn on brown adipose tissue (BAT) in BALB/c mice.

Forty 3-4 months old male BALB/c mice with initial body weight of (20 ± 3) g were randomly divided into control group and burn group (n = 20). BALB/c mice in burn group were subjected to a 30% total body surface area (TBSA) full-thickness thermal injury. BALB/c mice in control group were not treated. The body weight and temperature were observed before and after burn. At 7 days after burn, morphological changes of white adipose tissue (WAT) and BAT were observed, the gene and protein expressions of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) were detected.

There was no significant difference in the body weight and body temperature before burn (P > 0.05). At 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after burn, the body weight was significantly lower in burn group than in control group (P < 0.05). At 1, 2, 3, and 7 days after burn, the body temperature was significantly higher in burn group than in control group (P < 0.05). At 7 days after burn, the weight of WAT was significantly reduced, and the weight of BAT was significantly increased in burn group (P < 0.05); WAT and BAT cells became smaller, cell number increased, the cytoplasm and mitochondria appeared as compact. The UCP-1 gene and protein expressions of burn group were significantly higher than those of control group (P < 0.05).

BAT plays an important role in burn-induced hypermetabolism.