INTERMITTENT CHRONIC COLD EXPOSURE ACTIVATES TFEB/MURF1 SIGNALING, CAUSES SKELETAL MUSCLE ATROPHY, AND IMPAIRS AEROBIC PERFORMANCE IN MICE

Brazilian researchers and militaries have performed scientific research in Antarctica, the coldest and driest continent in the world. Severe thermal stress may cause skeletal muscle disorders (e.g., pain and atrophy) deteriorating their physical capacity and, consequently, their labor activities. The animal models available in the literature have submitted rodents to constant (24h/day) cold exposure (CE) for some days, which induce muscle atrophy. However, continuous chronic CE may cause sleep deprivation and, as a result, muscle loss. To avoid sleep disturbance, our group developed a murine model of intermittent chronic CE (ICCE), to mimic the conditions faced by some researchers in the Antarctic field, i.e., CE exclusively during the awaked phase.