Effect of hypophysectomy and administration of TSH on the activity of monoamine oxidase in the thyroid gland of rats.

The thyroid monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was measured in rats after hypophysectomy and TSH treatment to find out whether the thyroid MAO activity can be modified with TSH. Hypophysectomy decreased MAO activity in the thyroid gland of rats. The administration of TSH (2.5 U kg-1 daily for 5 days) to hypophysectomized rats increased MAO activity and fully compensated the absence of the pituitary. These data suggest that the thyroid gland MAO activity is under the regulatory influence of TSH.