Control of liver size in heat-acclimated hamsters

Abstract

In the hamster, heat acclimation reduces liver weight more than it does body weight. Therefore, liver weight constitutes a lower percentage of body weight during exposure to high ambient temperature. This change is not a result of dehydration since water content of the whole body and of the liver is not altered during heat acclimation. However, changes in lactic dehydrogenase isozyme proportions indicate a higher rate of liver degradation during the first 2 wk of heat exposure. These changes are accompanied by enhancement of DNA synthesis which is found to be elevated during the early period of heat exposure and later to fall to the control levels. The enhanced DNA synthesis might be a result of a high rate of tissue regeneration which probably takes place in the organ following the commencement of the degradative processes as was suggested in partial hepatectomy. Since the activity of DNA synthesis is negatively correlated with cyclic AMP levels, it is suggested that cyclic AMP plays some role in controlling hepatic DNA synthesis during heat acclimation.