Further evidence that BAT thermogenesis modulates cardiac rate in infant rats

Previous research in infant rats suggested that brown adipose tissue (BAT), by providing warm blood to the heart during moderate cold exposure, protects cardiac rate. This protective role for BAT thermogenesis was examined further in the present study. In experiment 1, 1-wk-old rats in a warm environment were pretreated with saline or chlorisondamine (a ganglionic blocker), and then BAT thermogenesis was stimulated by injection with the beta3-agonist CL-316243. In experiment 2, pups were pretreated with chlorisondamine and injected with CL-316243, and after BAT thermogenesis was stimulated the interscapular region of the pups was cooled externally with a thermode. In both experiments, cardiac rate, oxygen consumption, and physiological temperatures were monitored. Activation of BAT thermogenesis substantially increased cardiac rate in saline- and chlorisondamine-treated pups, and focal cooling of the interscapular region was sufficient to lower cardiac rate. The results of these studies support the hypothesis that BAT thermogenesis contributes directly to the modulation of cardiac rate.