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The thermoneutral zone (TNZ) reflects the adaptation of mammals to their natural habitat. However, it remains unclear how TNZ shifts in response to variations in ambient temperature. To test the hypothesis that ambient temperature plays a key role in determining TNZ variations between seasons, we measured metabolic rate, body temperature, and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity of several visceral organs in striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) either acclimated to semi‐natural conditions over a year, or subjected to a gradual decrease in mean temperature from 30 ± 1°C to −15 ± 1°C. The TNZ range in striped hamsters differed seasonally, with a wider TNZ and a lower lower‐critical temperature in winter compared to summer. The hamsters showed a considerable leftward shift of lower‐critical temperature from 30°C to 20°C after the ambient temperature of acclimation from 30°C down to −15°C, whereas the upper‐critical temperature of TNZ remained fixed at 32.5°C. The resting metabolic rate in thermoneutral zone (RMRt), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), and COX activity of brown adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle, brain, and kidneys, increased significantly in hamsters acclimated at lower ambient temperatures. Following acute exposure to 5°C and −15°C, hamsters acclimated to 32.5°C had significantly lower maximal NST and lower serum thyroid tri‐iodothyronine (T3) levels compared to those kept at 23°C. These findings suggest that acclimation to the upper‐critical temperature of TNZ impairs the hamsters' thermogenic capacity to cope with extreme cold temperature. Reduced ambient temperature was mainly responsible for the leftward shift of TNZ in striped hamsters, which reflects the adaptation to cold environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient temperature considerably affects the physiology and behavior of mammals. Thermosensory and thermoregulatory abilities play an important role in the response to changing ambient temperature in endotherms. However, the molecular mechanisms of behavioral thermoregulation remain poorly understood. Transient receptor potential vanilloid‐1 (TRPV1) is activated by changes in ambient temperature and is involved in acute thermoregulation. Here, we aimed to determine whether TRPV1 is involved in behavioral thermoregulation in wild rodents by conducting 2 experiments. In the first, 42 adult Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus; 14 per treatment) were randomly assigned to 3 housing temperatures (4, 23, and 36°C) for 4 weeks. In the second, 20 gerbils (10 per treatment) were randomly injected with capsaicin (TRPV1 agonist) or AMG517 (TRPV1 antagonist). The results showed a significant decrease in food intake and non‐shivering thermogenesis in the gerbils housed at 36°C. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the preference of gerbils housed at 4°C to low temperatures. The expression of TRPV1 protein in the brown adipose tissue (BAT) and liver was significantly positively correlated with that of protein kinase A (PKA). The expression of TRPV1 and PKA proteins in the BAT was positively correlated with the temperature preference of the gerbils. The gerbils injected with capsaicin preferred significantly lower temperatures than the control group gerbils. These findings suggest that TRPV1 and PKA are involved in behavioral thermoregulation in Mongolian gerbils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]