RÉSUMÉ
In order to examine the role of astacene on mice body development and the expression of energy metabolism related genes in mice, we treated mice (Kunming white) and primary culture of mouse muscle cells with astacene of higher and lower concentration. Then the total mRNA was extracted from the muscle tissue and cells respectively, and the mRNA levels of UCP3 and LXRalpha were detected by RT-PCR in all the samples. Compared with the control group, the body weight of mice in high concentrations of astacene group grown slowly, and the expressions of UCP3 genes decreased significantly in muscle tissue of the 10th day and the 30th day as well as the cells of treated for 24 h (P<0.05). The expression of LXRalpha gene increased significantly in all samples (P<0.05) and reached its peak at 72 h (P<0.01). With the treatment of lower concentration of astacene, the expressions of UCP3 and LXRalpha gene mRNA in muscle tissue did not alter much, but in muscle cells treated for 24 h, the mRNA level of UCP3 gene decreased significantly (P<0.05), and LXRalpha gene increased significantly (P<0.05). The results suggest that astacene has a role in regulating the energy use in mice muscle.