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Seasonal variation in carnitine levels of the ground squirrel, Citellus tridecemlineatus

1981; Elsevier BV; Volume: 68; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0305-0491(81)90152-8

0305-0491

Roy F. Burlington, Austin L. Shug,

Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies

1. Carnitine (carn) and associated compounds were measured in plasma, heart, liver, skeletal muscle, brain, brown fat and kidney from ground squirrels (Citellus tridecemlineatus). 2. Nonhibernating squirrels were maintained at 25°C, fed ad libitum, subjected to a 12L-12D photoperiod, and killed during June, October and February. Hibernating animals were housed in an 8°C dark chamber with no food for 40 days and sacrificed in Jan. 3. Compared to June and October animals, plasma free carn, total tissue carn and tissue acylcarn/free carn increased significantly in January and February squirrels. No consistent seasonal differences were noted in tissue levels of free CoA, acetyl CoA or long chain acyl CoA. 4. Increased carn levels in February animals may indicate an annual change in lipid metabolism which is independent of total food deprivation. light or decreased ambient temperature. High levels of plasma and tissue carn during hibernation support an increased capacity for fatty acid oxidation.