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Body temperature regulates glucose metabolism and torpid behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Ming-Liang Lee

    (National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS)
    National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS)
    SOKENDAI)

  • Ching-Pu Chang

    (National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS)
    National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS))

  • Chitoku Toda

    (Kumamoto University)

  • Tomomi Nemoto

    (National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS)
    National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS)
    SOKENDAI)

  • Ryosuke Enoki

    (National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS)
    National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS)
    SOKENDAI)

Abstract

Glucose is a significant energy resource for maintaining physiological activities, including body temperature homeostasis, and glucose homeostasis is tightly regulated in mammals. Although ambient temperature tunes glucose metabolism to maintain euthermia, the significance of body temperature in metabolic regulation remains unclear owing to strict thermoregulation. Activation of Qrfp neurons in the preoptic area induced a harmless hypothermic state known as Q-neuron–induced hypothermia and hypometabolism (QIH), which is suitable for studying glucose metabolism under hypothermia. In this study, we observed that QIH mice had hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. This glucose hypometabolic state was abolished by increasing the body temperature to euthermia. Moreover, QIH-mediated inappetence and locomotor inactivity were recovered in euthermia QIH mice. These results indicate that body temperature is considerably more powerful than ambient temperature in regulating glucose metabolism and behavior, and the glucose hypometabolism in QIH is secondary to hypothermia rather than modulated by Qrfp neurons.

Suggested Citation

  • Ming-Liang Lee & Ching-Pu Chang & Chitoku Toda & Tomomi Nemoto & Ryosuke Enoki, 2025. "Body temperature regulates glucose metabolism and torpid behavior," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-61499-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61499-2
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    1. Zhi Zhang & Fernando M. C. V. Reis & Yanlin He & Jae W. Park & Johnathon R. DiVittorio & Nilla Sivakumar & J. Edward van Veen & Sandra Maesta-Pereira & Michael Shum & India Nichols & Megan G. Massa & , 2020. "Estrogen-sensitive medial preoptic area neurons coordinate torpor in mice," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Tohru M. Takahashi & Genshiro A. Sunagawa & Shingo Soya & Manabu Abe & Katsuyasu Sakurai & Kiyomi Ishikawa & Masashi Yanagisawa & Hiroshi Hama & Emi Hasegawa & Atsushi Miyawaki & Kenji Sakimura & Masa, 2020. "A discrete neuronal circuit induces a hibernation-like state in rodents," Nature, Nature, vol. 583(7814), pages 109-114, July.
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