Uncoupling protein-3 as a molecular determinant of the action of 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine on energy metabolism

Thyroid hormones are known to stimulate thermogenesis in rodents by exerting a permissive effect on norepinephrine that affects uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) expression in brown adipose tissue (BAT). The aim of this study was to identify new targets of the thermogenic effects of T3 in tissues other than the BAT, such as skeletal muscle. In β1/β2/β3-adrenoceptor knockout (β-less) mice, that are dramatically cold intolerant, a normal body temperature was maintained throughout 48 h of cold exposure by T3 administration. In these mice, BAT UCP1 protein expression was not modified either by cold exposure or by T3 administration. To test the possibility that T3 might act via muscle uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3), an UCP3 knockout (KO) model was used. This model exhibited a normal phenotype except that, upon T3 administration, stimulated oxygen consumption of the UCP3KO mice was significantly lower by 6% than that of the wild-type (WT) mice. This difference was observed only during the dark period (between 7.00 p.m. and 7.00 a.m.), i.e. when the mice are the most active at consuming food. Therefore, UCP3 might participate in the correction by T3 of the dramatic cold intolerance of the β-less mice. These results reactivate the idea that UCP3 might play a role in the control of energy balance.