Adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase activation in the developing rat: influence of the thyroid status.

Adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase activation was elicited in developing control, hypo- and hyperthyroid rats by insulin-hypoglycaemia. Rats were deeply anaesthetized with chloroform at a low concentration, since intrinsic tyrosine hydroxylase activation was very low with this technique, as compared to Ketamine injection or chloroform at a high concentration. The study of time-course of tyrosine hydroxylase activation showed that the maximum value was observed 2 h after insulin administration. In control animals, tyrosine hydroxylase activation increased between 4 and 20 days, and then decreased. Hypothyroidism is associated with a decreased tyrosine hydroxylase activation between 4 and 50 days, as compared to controls and hyperthyroidism with an increased activation between 6 and 30 days. While tyrosine hydroxylase from saline-treated rats exhibits two different forms (with two apparent Km values for the cofactor), enzyme from insulin-treated animals was present in a single form with a Km corresponding to the low Km value of the saline-injected rats. At 6 and 14 days, hypothyroidism increases tyrosine hydroxylase Km values as compared to euthyroid animals.