Effect of hibernation, thyroid hormones and dexamethasone on cytosolic andmitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from jerboa (Jaculus orientalis)

Tissue distribution of the cytosolic and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (cGPDH and mGPDH) activities in jerboa (Jaculus orientalis), a hibernator, shows the highest level of enzyme activity in skeletal muscl e and brown adipose tissue, respectively. The effect of hibernation on cGPD H indicates an increase of activity in all tissues examined. In contrast, h ibernation decreases mGPDH activity in all tissues, except skeletal muscle. The effect of thyroid hormones on GPDH activity was tissue specific: in ki dneys, cGPDH activity doubled in euthermic jerboas treated with T4. In cont rast, 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil treatment provokes an increase of enzyme acti vity in brown adipose tissue, liver and brain. T4 treatment leads to a 2.7- fold increase in liver mGPDH activity. 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil treatment de creases mGPDH activity in the skeletal muscle whereas the opposite effect w as observed in brain. Dexamethasone stimulates cGPDH in all tissues examine d, except skeletal muscle and kidneys. In the case of mGPDH activity, this increase was observed only for brown adipose tissue and brain. Our results suggest that hibernation, thyroid hormones and dexamethasone probably play a role in the regulation of cGPDH and mGPDH activities in jerboa. Our findi ngs confirm that these enzymes are involved in metabolic adaptation to ther mal stress in Jaculus orientalis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.