Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The influence of natural short photoperiodic and temperature conditions on plasma thyroid hormones and cholesterol in male Syrian hamsters

  • Published:
International Journal of Biometeorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Adult male Syrian hamsters were subjected to 1, 3, 5, 7 or 11 weeks of either natural winter conditions or rigorously controlled laboratory conditions (LD 10∶14; 22 ± 2‡C). Although both groups of hamsters gained weight over the course of the experiment, hamsters housed indoors were significantly heavier after 5 weeks of treatment compared to their outdoors counterparts. Animals housed under natural conditions exhibited a significant decrease in circulating levels of thyroxine (T4) and a rapid rise in triiodothyronine (T3) levels; the free T4 and free T3 index (FT4I and FT3I) mirrored the changes in circulating levels of the respective hormones. Laboratory-housed animals had a slight rise in T4 and FT4I at 3 weeks followed by a slow steady decline in these values; T3 and FT3I values did not change remarkably in these animals. Plasma cholesterol declined steadily over the course of the experiment in laboratory-maintained animals but increased slightly during the first 5 weeks in animals under natural conditions. Since the photoperiodic conditions were approximately of the same duration in these 2 groups, it is concluded that the major differences in body weight, thyroid hormone values and plasma cholesterol are due to some component (possibly temperature) in the natural environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • BAUMAN, T. R., ANDERSON, R. R. and TURNER, C. W. (1968): Thyroid hormone secretion rates and food consumption of the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) at 25.5‡ and 4.5‡C. Gen. Comp. Endocr., 10: 92–98.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BAUMBER, J. and DENYES, A. (1963): Acetate-1-C14 metabolism of white fat from hamsters in cold exposure and hibernation. Amer. J. Physiol., 205: 905–908.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BRAINARD, G. C., VAUGHAN, M. K. and REITER, R. J. (1984): The influence of artificial and natural short photoperiods on male Syrian hamsters. Int. J. Biometeor. (in press).

  • CAMPBELL, C. S., TABOR, J. and DAVIS, J. D. (1983): Small effect of brown adipose tissue and major effect of photoperiod on body weight in hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Physiol. Behav., 30: 349–352.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • FARRAND, R. L. (1959): Cold acclimatization in the golden hamster. State Univ. Iowa, Studies Natural Hist., 20: 1–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • FLEISCHMAN, W. and SHUMACKER, H. B. (1942): The relationship between serum cholesterol and total body cholesterol in experimental hyper- and hypothyroidism. Bull. Johns Hopkins Hosp., 71: 175–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • GALSTER, W. A. and MORRISON, P. (1966): Seasonal changes in serum lipids and proteins in the 13-lined ground squirrel. Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 18: 489–501.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • HOFFMAN, R. A. (1968): Hibernation and effects of low temperature. Chapter 3. In: The Golden Hamster, Its Biology and Use in Medical Research. R. A. Hoffman, P. F. Robinson and H. Magalhaes (eds.), Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.

    Google Scholar 

  • HOFFMAN, R. A. (1982): Seasonal reproductive cycles in golden hamsters: speculations on data and dogma. In: The Pineal and Its Hormones, R. J. Reiter (ed.), Alan R. Liss, Inc., New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • HOFFMAN, R. A. and ZARROW, M. X. (1958): A comparison of seasonal changes and the effect of cold on the thyroid gland of the male rat and ground squirrel (Citellus tridecemlineatus). Acta Endocr., 27: 77–84.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • HOFFMAN, R. A., DAVIDSON, K. and STEINBERG, K. (1982): Influence of photoperiod and temperature on weight gain, food consumption, fat pads and thyroxine in male golden hamsters. Growth, 46: 150–162.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • IVERSON, S. L. and TURNER, B. N., (1974): Winter weight dynamics inMicrotus pennsylvanicus. Ecology, 55: 1030–1041.

    Google Scholar 

  • JAMESON, E. W. and MEAD, R. A. (1964): Seasonal changes in body fat, water, and basic weight inCitellus lateralis, Eutamias speciosus, andE. amoenus. J. Mammal., 45: 360–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • JOHANSSON, B. (1957): Some biochemical and electrocardiographical data on badgers. Acta Zool. (Stockholm), 38: 205–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • JOHANSSON, B. G. and JOHANSSON, B. W. (1972): Fat metabolism. I. Plasma lipids and lipoproteins. Acta Physiol. Scand., Suppl. 380: 49–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • KNIGGE, K. M. (1963): Thyroid function and plasma binding during cold exposure of the hamster. Fed. Proc., 22: 755–760.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • KODAMA, A. M. and PACE, N. (1964): Effect of environmental temperature on body fat composition. J. Appl. Physiol., 19: 863–867.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • KONTTINEN, A., RAJASALMI, M. and SHARAJAS, H. S. S. (1964): Fat metabolism of the hedgehog during the hibernation cycle. Amer. J. Physiol., 207: 845–848.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LAPLAUD, P. M., BEAUBATIE, L. and MAUREL, D. (1980): A spontaneously seasonal hypercholesterolemic animal: plasma lipids and lipoproteins in the European badger (Meles meles L.). J. Lipid Res., 21: 724–738.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LYMAN, C. P. (1948): The oxygen consumption and temperature regulation of hibernating hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). J. Exp. Zool., 109: 55–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • MORRISON, P. (1960): Some interrelations between weight and hibernation function. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harv., 124: 75–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • REITER, R. J. (1973): Pineal control of seasonal reproductive rhythm in male golden hamsters exposed to natural daylight and temperature. Endocrinology, 92: 423–430.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • REITER, R. J. (1974): Circannual reproductive rhythms in mammals related to photoperiod and pineal function: a review. Chronobiologia, 1: 365–395.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • REITER, R. J. (1981): Seasonal aspects of reproduction in a hibernating rodent: photoperiodic and pineal effects. In: Survival in the Cold: Hibernation and other adaptations. X. J. Musacchia and L. Jansky (eds.), Elsevier/North Holland, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • REITER, R. J., VAUGHAN, M. K. and WARING, P. J. (1977): Prevention by melatonin of short day induced atrophy of the reproductive systems of male and female hamsters. Acta Endocr., 84: 410–418.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • ROSENMAN, R. H., FRIEDMAN, M. and BYERS, S. O. (1952): Observations concerning the metabolism of cholesterol in the hypo- and hyperthyroid rat. Circulation, 5: 589–593.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SNYDER, R. L., DAVIS, D. E. and CHRISTIAN, J. J. (1961): Seasonal changes in the weight of woodchucks, J. Mammal., 42: 297–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • VAUGHAN, M. K., POWANDA, M. C., RICHARDSON, B. A., KING, T. S., JOHNSON, L. Y. and REITER, R. J. (1982): Chronic exposure to short photoperiod inhibits free thyroxine index and plasma levels of TSH, T4, triiodothyronine (T3) and cholesterol in female Syrian hamsters. Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 71A: 615–618.

    Google Scholar 

  • WENBERG, G. M. and HOLLAND, J. C. (1973): The circannual variations in the total serum lipids and cholesterol with respect to body weight in the woodchuck (Marmota monax). Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 44A: 577–583.

    Google Scholar 

  • WINSTON, B. W. and HENDERSON, N. E. (1981): Seasonal changes in morphology of the thyroid gland of a hibernator,Spermophilus richardsoni. Can. J. Zool., 59: 1022–1031.

    Google Scholar 

  • WONG, C. C., DOHLER, K. D., ATKINSON, M. J., GEERLINGS, H, HESCH, R. D. and VON ZUR MUHLEN (1983a): Influence of age, strain and season on diurnal periodicity of thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroxine, triiodothyronine and parathyroid hormone in the serum of male laboratory rats. Acta Endocr., 102: 377–385.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • WONG, C. C., DOHLER, K. D., ATKINSON, M. J., GEERLINGS, H., HESCH, R. D. and VON ZUR MUHLEN (1983b): Circannual variations in serum concentrations of pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, gonadal and adrenal hormones in male laboratory rats. J. Endocr., 97: 179–185.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, 78284, San Antonio, TX, USA

    M. K. Vaughan & R. J. Reiter

  2. Dept. of Neurology, Jefferson Medical College, 1025 Walnut Street, 19107, Philadelphia, PA

    G. C. Brainard

Authors
  1. M. K. Vaughan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. C. Brainard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. J. Reiter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vaughan, M.K., Brainard, G.C. & Reiter, R.J. The influence of natural short photoperiodic and temperature conditions on plasma thyroid hormones and cholesterol in male Syrian hamsters. Int J Biometeorol 28, 201–210 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02187960

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02187960

Keywords

Search

Navigation