Cold-induced and postnatal changes in brown adipose tissue ganglioside levels.

Effects of cold and postnatal development were studied on brown adipose tissue (BAT) ganglioside levels in rats. Interscapular BAT was defatted by cold acetone before ganglioside extraction. Gangliosides were determined using HPTLC. Major ganglioside in BAT was found to be GM3. BAT GM3 level per g of fresh tissue weight as well as fat-free dry matter significantly increased in cold-acclimated rats (CA) and in rats reared in cold for 27 generations. BAT GM3 level per g of fresh weight as well as fat-free dry matter was significantly higher in 4-day- and 14-day-old rats than that in adult animals (12 weeks old). It was also shown that the higher levels of BAT GM3 were associated with greater BAT weight relative to body weight. These results suggest that BAT ganglioside, especially GM3, is implicated in growth and/or function of BAT in terms of cold-induced and postnatal changes of this tissue.