Abstract: In order to investigate the roles of endocrine hormone in the regulation of body mass of Tupaia belangeri, serum leptin levels, insulin levels, and the levels of thyroid hormone under simulating winter and summer environments were measured. The results showed that serum leptin levels in T. belangeri in simulating winter environment reduced significantly with the acclamation time; insulin levels were significantly correlated to leptin levels, indicating that insulin could positively modulaten and stimulate leptin secretion in T. belangeri; simulating winter environment increased thyroid hormone T3 levels significantly, thereby enhancing the heat production capacity, and simulated summer environment had no obvious influence on the thyroid hormone T3 levels, but showed a decreasing trend in a certain extent, weakened the heat production. All of these results suggested that T. belangeri in seasonal change process will be through the adjustment of endocrine hormone levels to regulate the energy metabolism.

Key words: Tupaia belangeri, endocrine hormone, body mass regulation