Norepinephrine turnover in heart and spleen of 7-, 22-, and 34 degree C-acclimated hamsters

Norepinephrine (NE) turnover rates were measured in hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) heart and spleen tissues after 7-10 wk exposure to 7, 22, and 34 degrees C. The competitive inhibitor of NE synthesis, alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine methyl ester, was injected (200 mg/kg, ip) into acclimated animals. At sequential periods after drug treatment, hamsters were sacrificied by cervical transection, and tissues were removed and frozen. Rate constants, turnover time, and turnover rates were determined from regression analysis of NE tissue decay. Heart NE turnover was highest in cold-acclimated and lowest in heat-exposed animals (.111 and .047 mug/g per h, respectively), control values being intermediate (.081 mug/g per h). NE turnover is inversely related to tissue levels in the myocardium of temperature-acclimated hamsters. Spleen NE turnover was lowest with heat exposure, but spleen tissue levels of NE with heat or cold exposure were not different from control (22 degrees C) measurements. Heat-acclimated hamsters are slightly hyperthermic (Tre, 37.24 +/- .18 C; P, .032) compared to 22 degrees C-maintained controls (Tre, 36.85 +/- .07), but body temperature were unchanged with 7 degrees C exposure. The implication of altered NE synthesis is that sympathetic nerve activity is decreased with heat acclimation and increased with cold acclimation.