Cold-induced changes in thyroid function in a poikilothermic mammal, the naked mole-rat

Cold acclimation induces very divergent responses in thyroid function in reptiles and mammals reflective of their different thermoregulatory modes. Naked mole-rats, unlike other small mammals, are unable to effectively employ endothermy and are operatively poikilotherms. We therefore investigated changes in their thyroid status with chronic cold exposure. Under simulated burrow conditions, free thyroxine (T-4; 0.39 +/- 0.09 ng/dl) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH; 1.12 +/- 0.56 mu IU/ml) levels fell within the reptilian range, one order of magnitude lower than mammalian levels. However, cold induced typical mammalian responses: free T-4 levels (0.55 +/- 0.09 ng/dl) and thyroid follicular cell height were significantly greater. Although TSH levels (1.28 +/- 0.83 mu IU/ml) were not significantly elevated, thyrotrophs exhibited ultrastructural signs of increased secretory activity. Low thyroid hormone concentrations may contribute substantially to the unusual thermoregulatory mode exhibited by naked mole-rats.