Sex- and age-specific differences in core body temperature of C57Bl/6 mice

Abstract

Gender-specific differences in longevity are reported across species and are mediated by mechanisms not entirely understood. In C57Bl/6 mice, commonly used in aging research, males typically outlive females. Since in these animals modest but prolonged reduction of core body (Tc) increased life span, we hypothesized that differential Tc may contribute to sex-specific longevity. Here, we compared the circadian profiles of Tc and locomotor activity (LMA) of male and female C57Bl/6 mice. Since Tc and LMA normally change with age, measurements were carried out in young (3 months) as well as in old (24 months) mice. In young females, Tc was influenced by estrous but was overall higher than in males. This difference was larger in old animals after age eliminated the variations associated with estrous. Although temperature homeostasis is regulated centrally by the sexually dimorphic hypothalamic preoptic area, these differences were uniquely dependent on the gonads. In fact, bilateral gonadectomy abolished the effects of estrous and increased resting Tc in males eliminating all sex-specific differences in Tc and LMA. These effects were only partially mimicked by hormonal replacement as Tc was affected by progesterone and to a lesser extent by estrogen but not by testosterone. Thus, gonadal-dependent modulation of Tc may be one of the physiological parameters contributing to gender-specific differences in longevity.