In an effort to better characterize uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3) function in skeletal muscle, we assessed basal UCP3 protein content in rat intermyofibrillar (IMF) and subsarcolemmal (SS) mitochondrial subfractions in conjunction with measurements of state 4 respiration. UCP3 content was 1.3-fold (P < 0.05) greater in IMF compared with SS mitochondria. State 4 respiration was 2.6-fold greater (P...

Previous researchers have demonstrated that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) induced hyperthermia, in skeletal muscle of animals, is uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) dependent. In light of our investigations that in vivo phosphorylation of UCP1 is augmented under conditions of cold-acclimation, we set out to investigate whether (a) UCP3 was phosphorylated in vivo and (b) whether in vivo phos...

Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are transporters that are important for thermogenesis. The net result of their activity is the exothermic movement of protons through the inner mitochondrial membrane, uncoupled from ATP synthesis. We have cloned a third member of the UCP family, UCP3. UCP3 is expressed at high levels in muscle and rodent brown adipose tissue. Overexpression in yeast red...

Uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3) is a mitochondrial carrier protein of as yet undefined physiological function. To elucidate characteristics of its function, we studied the effects of fasting on resting metabolic rate, respiratory quotient, muscle Ucp3 expression, and mitochondrial proton leak in wild-type and Ucp3(-/-) mice. Also analyzed were the fatty acid compositions of skeletal muscle mitochon...

Uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) is a mitochondrial membrane transporter that is expressed mainly in skeletal muscle where it plays an important role in energy expenditure and fat oxidation. In this study, we investigated the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on UCP3 gene expression in C(2)C(12) muscle cells. EPA and DHA up-regulated UCP3 mRNA level in a dose-depe...

Uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) is mainly expressed in muscle. It plays an important role in muscle, but less research on the regulation of cattle UCP3 has been performed. In order to elucidate whether cattle UCP3 can be regulated by muscle-related factors, deletion of cattle UCP3 promoter was amplified and cloned into pGL3-basic, pGL3-promoter and PEGFP-N3 vector, respectively, then transfected in...

Overexpression of mitochondrial uncoupling proteins (UCPs) attenuates ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in cultured cardiomyocytes. However, it is not known whether UCPs play an essential role in cardioprotection in the intact heart. This study evaluated the cardioprotective efficacy of UCPs against I/R injury and characterized the mechanism of UCP-mediated protection in addition to the role of...

BACKGROUND We investigated the effects of uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) genetic deletion on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) cardiac uptake by positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) dedicated animal system after permanent coronary artery ligation. METHODS Cardiac 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed in UCP3 knockout (UCP3-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice one week after induction of myocardi...

The physiological function of the mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP), UCP3, is still under debate. There is, however, ample evidence to indicate that, in contrast to UCP1, the primary function of UCP3 is not the dissipation of energy. Rather, several lines of evidence suggest that UCP3 is associated with cellular fatty acid metabolism. The highest levels of expression of UCP3 have been foun...

Mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP), mitochondrial transporters, function as a proton channel and increase thermogenesis. UCP1 is expressed in brown adipose tissues (BAT), UCP2 is widely expressed in multiple tissues, while UCP3 is expressed in skeletal muscle. Thus, UCPs, especially UCP3, in skeletal muscles is a good candidates for prevention of obesity and diabetes. However, the role of U...