An analysis of factors that induce hibernation in Syrian hamsters

Ueda, Seiji; Ibuka, Nobuo

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(95)00095-z

Cited by 23 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Additionally, hamsters may not be an ideal model for hibernation, since they are not obligate hibernators and may only spend about half of their time during the hibernation season actually in torpor (i.e. Ueda and Ibuka, 1995;Wassmer, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bone strength is maintained after 8 months of inactivity in hibernating golden-mantled ground squirrels, Spermophilus lateralis

Utz

Nelson

O’Toole

et al. 2009

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYProlonged inactivity leads to disuse atrophy, a loss of muscle and bone mass. Hibernating mammals are inactive for 6-9 months per year but must return to full activity immediately after completing hibernation. This necessity for immediate recovery presents an intriguing conundrum, as many mammals require two to three times the period of inactivity to recover full bone strength. Therefore, if hibernators experience typical levels of bone disuse atrophy during hibernation, there would be inadequate time available to recover during the summer active season. We examined whether there were mechanical consequences as a result of the extended inactivity of hibernation. We dissected femur and tibia bones from squirrels in various stages of the annual hibernation cycle and measured the amount of force required to fracture these bones. Three groups were investigated; summer active animals were captured during the summer and immediately killed, animals in the 1 month detraining group were captured in the summer and killed following a 1-month period of restricted mobility, hibernating animals were killed after 8 months of inactivity. A three-point bend test was employed to measure the force required to break the bones. Apparent flexural strength and apparent flexural modulus (material stiffness) were calculated for femurs. There were no differences between groups for femur fracture force, tibia fracture force, or femur flexural strength. Femur flexural modulus was significantly less for the 1 month detraining group than for the hibernation and summer active groups. Thus, hibernators seem resistant to the deleterious effects of prolonged inactivity during the winter. However, they may be susceptible to immobilization-induced bone loss during the summer.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bone strength is maintained after 8 months of inactivity in hibernating golden-mantled ground squirrels, Spermophilus lateralis

Utz

Nelson

O’Toole

et al. 2009

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…On the basis of these results, it seemed interesting to propose the effects of the freckled milk vetchderived neurotoxin in a highly appropriate hibernating model, the Syrian golden hamster. This rodent is a permissive hibernator that undergoes profound neurophysiological modifications, following particular environmental conditions such as hypothermia, which allow the animal to survive through these extraordinary conditions (Ueda and Ibuka, 1995). As a matter of fact, it is throughout the different hibernating stages in rodents, i.e., during enter, torpor, and arousal states, that brain vascular homeostasis plus the reprogramming of gene expression (Epperson and Martin, 2002) are strongly influenced by neuronal mediators such as the histaminergic system (Panula et al, 2000).…”

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confidence: 99%

The Histaminergic Signaling System Exerts a Neuroprotective Role against Neurodegenerative-Induced Processes in the Hamster

Canonaco

Madeo²,

Alò³

et al. 2005

The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

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The neurotoxic 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), a freckled milk vetch-derived inhibitor of mitochondrial enzymatic processes that is capable of mimicking the typical pathological features of neurodegenerative disorders, behaved in a differentiated manner in a hibernating rodent (hamster) with respect to a nonhibernating rodent (rat). Treatment of the two rodents with both an acute and chronic 3-NP dose supplied deleterious neuronal effects due to distinct histamine receptor (H n R) transcriptional activities, especially in the case of the rat. In hamsters, these treatment modalities accounted for overall reduced global activity in a freely moving environment and overt motor symptoms such as hindlimb dystonia and clasping with respect to the greater abnormal motor behaviors in rats. This behavioral difference appeared to be strongly related to qualitative fewer neuronal alterations and, namely, lesser crenated cell membranes, swollen mitochondria, and darkened nuclei in hamster brain areas. Moreover, a mixed H 1,3 R mRNA expression pattern was reported for both rodents treated with a chronic 3-NP dose as demonstrated by predominantly low H 1 R mRNA levels (Ͼ50%) in rat striatum and cortex, whereas extremely high H 3 R levels (Ͼ80%) characterized the lateral and central amygdala nuclei plus the striatum of hamsters. Interestingly, the H 3 R antagonist (thioperamide) blocked 3-NP-dependent behaviors plus induced an up-regulation of H 1 R levels in mainly the above-reported hamster amygdalar nuclei. Overall, these results show, for the first time, that a major protective role against neurodegenerative events appears to be strongly related to the expression activity of H 1,3 R subtypes of amygdalar neurons in this hibernating model.

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“…However, for research, it is important to use animals that easily hibernate in all the seasons of the year under control of environmental conditions rather than seasonal hibernators. The Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is an animal that satisfies this qualification [8,9]. When hamsters are transferred from a euthermic and long-day photoperiod breeding room to a temperature-controlled cold environment, they start hibernation after a certain period of time.…”

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A Novel Phenomenon Predicting the Entry into a State of Hibernation in Syrian Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

et al. 2005

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ABSTRACT. When Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) are bred in a cold and short-day environment, most animals go into hibernation after a certain period of time. However, to date it has not been possible to predict which hamster will enter hibernation. In this study, we subcutaneously implanted thermo-loggers in hamsters bred in the cold environment, and recorded the subcutaneous temperature at short intervals until they went into hibernation. A time series analysis of temperature disclosed that a fall of 0.4 to 0.8°C in subcutaneous temperature was seen 5 to 16 days before entering hibernation, and this phenomenon continued for three days or more. No hamster went into the hibernation without displaying this signal. Although the mechanism by which this phenomenon takes place is not clear, it is a sign from the body, which is useful for indicating if a hamster will enter hibernation shortly. KEY WORDS: hamster, hibernation, temperature.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 67(2): 215-217, 2005 Recently, much attention has been paid to hibernating animals because of their use in investigating the preservation of tissues and organs at low temperature, and organ injuries of ischemia-reperfusion [1]. Hibernating mammals such as ground squirrels (Spermophilus lateralis), chipmunks (Tamias asiaticus) and hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) have been frequently studied. However, for research, it is important to use animals that easily hibernate in all the seasons of the year under control of environmental conditions rather than seasonal hibernators. The Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is an animal that satisfies this qualification [8,9]. When hamsters are transferred from a euthermic and long-day photoperiod breeding room to a temperature-controlled cold environment, they start hibernation after a certain period of time. However, from our findings as shown in Table 1, all hamsters that are transferred to cold environments do not always enter hibernation. Furthermore, it is still difficult to predict which hamster will go into hibernation. Development of a telemetry system has enabled us to know at which stage of the hibernation process the hamster belongs by measurering changes in the body temperature [7]. However, this telemetry system is subject to interference caused by various electrical equipment in the laboratory environment [6], making it difficult to conduct a detailed analysis, such as an analysis of 24-hr moving average of the body temperature. In this study, we investigated the hibernation process of Syrian hamsters to obtain fundamental data on hibernation and to examine whether or not the data contains indicator signs of hibernation. For this purpose, hamsters were acclimated to a cold environment, and body temperature was analyzed for the period until they went into hibernation by implanting a button-type thermologger.Syrian hamsters were bred in our animal facilities and the experiments using the hamsters were performed in accordance with a guideline issued by our institutional animal experiment review board. Female ...

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An analysis of factors that induce hibernation in Syrian hamsters

Cited by 23 publications

References 14 publications

Bone strength is maintained after 8 months of inactivity in hibernating golden-mantled ground squirrels, Spermophilus lateralis

Bone strength is maintained after 8 months of inactivity in hibernating golden-mantled ground squirrels, Spermophilus lateralis

The Histaminergic Signaling System Exerts a Neuroprotective Role against Neurodegenerative-Induced Processes in the Hamster

A Novel Phenomenon Predicting the Entry into a State of Hibernation in Syrian Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

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