Effects of cold exposure on cyclic AMP concentration in plasma, liver, and brown and white adipose tissues in cold-acclimated rats

Effects of acute cold exposure on plasma energy substrates and tissue 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) were analyzed in intact rats, to define an involvement of the nucleotide in nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) and resultant cold acclimation. After an acute cold exposure to -5 degrees C, the plasma glucose level increased gradually in warm-kept control rats (C) while it decreased significantly in cold-acclimated rats (CA). However, it was increased considerably by an extreme cold exposure to -15 degrees C in both C and CA. By contrast, plasma levels of free fatty acids (FFA) increased immediately after cold exposure and the release lasted during the period of exposure especially in C. The cold exposure also increased plasma cAMP concentration but no concomitant increase was found in the liver. In both brown (IBAT) and white (WAT) adipose tissues the nucleotide concentration showed a stepwise decrease. The observed correlation between lipolysis and plasma cAMP response after cold exposure suggests an involvement of the adenylate cyclase-cAMP system in NST via lipid metabolism, at least, in the early stages of cold acclimation.