Figure 7.

Schematic illustrating the main findings of our study. Upon chronic cold exposure (6 °C) Panx1^−/− mice exhibit increased energy expenditure and have an increased ghrelin/leptin ratio resulting in increased food and water intake. Their serum TG and FFAs, as well as fat mass, are relatively decreased as compared to WT mice under the same conditions. WAT of cold-exposed Panx1^−/− mice contain smaller adipocytes than WT mice with increased levels of Glut4. While chronic cold exposure induced Glut4, Cidea, Ucp1, and Cpt1 in WAT of WT mice, chronic cold exposure of Panx1^−/− mice failed to induce Ucp1, Cpt1, and Glut4 in their WAT, pointing to Ucp1-independent thermogenesis in Panx1^−/− mice.