Long-lasting effects of Triac and thyroxine on the control of thyrotropin and hepatic deiodinase type I.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between the serum levels of thyroid hormones and their biological effects. For this purpose, hypothyroid rats were studied after stopping treatment with a long-acting thyroid hormone, thyroxine (T4) and a short-acting one, triiodothyroacetic acid (Triac). Based on preliminary experiments with different doses of T4 and Triac, hypothyroid rats (N = 84) received over 6 days' injections of 10 nmol Triac or 2 nmol T4/100 g body wt per day. Biological effects of Triac and T4 were measured in the pituitary, liver and kidney up to 8 days after stopping treatment. With Triac, serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels were inhibited completely 6 h after injection, yet after 24 h they were 4.9 +/- 1.8 micrograms/l (hypothyroid 14.5 +/- 0.8 micrograms/l). The rapid changes in serum TSH levels were followed by a more gradual increase in serum TSH levels were followed by a more gradual increase in serum TSH, which was similar to that after T4 injection. Even 8 days after Triac treatment, serum TSH levels did not reach the hypothyroid control levels. Changes in beta-TSH mRNA levels also showed a prolonged inhibition after both treatments and a slow return to hypothyroid values, which was not complete 8 days after stopping treatment. A second parameter was hepatic 5'-deiodinase type I (5'D-I). The 6-day treatment with Triac had a markedly stronger effect on 5'D-I enzyme activity and mRNA levels than treatment with T4.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)