Age-dependence of the stimulatory effect of triiodothyronine on the DNA synthesis of rat hepatocytes

The effect of a single subcutaneous injection of triiodothyronine (T₃) on DNA synthesis rate and liver growth was studied in young and old female Wistar rats. The hormonal treatment was effective in stimulating DNA synthesis, resulting in an increase of the specific liver volume as well as volume and numerical density of nuclei/100 g body wt. in young animals.In the old animals T₃ injection induced a reduced and delayed synthesis of DNA, which did not affect the morphometric parameters of liver/100 g body wt.     

Metabolism of 3,3'-diiodothyronine in rat hepatocytes: interaction of sulfation with deiodination

Production of 3,3'-diiodothyronine (3,3'-T2) is an important step in the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormone in man. The rapid clearance of 3,3'-T2 is accomplished to a large extent in the liver. We have studied in detail the mechanisms of this process using monolayers of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. After incubation with 3,[3'-125I]T2, chromatographic analysis of the medium revealed two major metabolic routes: outer ring deiodination and sulfation. We recently demonstrated that sulfate conjugation precedes and in effect accelerates deiodination of 3,3'-T2. In media containing different serum concentrations the cellular clearance rate was determined by the nonprotein-bound fraction of 3,3'-T2. At substrate concentrations below 10(-8) M 125I- was the main product observed. At higher concentrations deiodination became saturated, and 3,3'-T2 sulfate (T2S) accumulated in the medium. Saturation of 3,3'-T2 clearance was found to occur only at very high (greater than 10(-6)M) substrate concentrations. The sulfating capacity of the cells exceeded that of deiodination by at least 20-fold. Deiodination was completely inhibited by 10(-4) M propylthiouracil or thiouracil, resulting in the accumulation of T2S while clearance of 3,3'-T2 was little affected. No effect was seen with methimazole. Hepatocytes from 72-h fasted rats showed a significant reduction of deiodination but unimpaired sulfation. Other iodothyronines interfered with 3,3'-T2 metabolism. Deiodination was strongly inhibited by 2 microM T4 and rT3 (80%) but little by T3 (15%), whereas the clearance of 3,3'-T2 was reduced by 27% (T4 and rT3) and 12% (T3). It is concluded that the rapid hepatic clearance of 3,3'-T2 is determined by the sulfate-transferring capacity of the liver cells. Subsequent outer ring deiodination of the intermediate T2S is inhibited by propylthiouracil and by fasting, essentially without an effect on overall 3,3'-T2 clearance.     

Interactions of triiodothyronine, insulin and dexamethasone on the binding of human LDL to rat hepatocytes in monolayer culture

Rat hepatocytes were maintained for the first 24 h in culture in the presence of 10% (v/v) newborn calf serum and then for a further 16 h in serum-free medium containing 2 g bovine serum albumin per litre. The presence of 1-100 nM triiodothyronine (T3) in the second incubation significantly increased binding of human 125I-LDL to the LDL receptor. Unlike insulin, T3 was unable to reverse the decrease in binding brought about by dexamethasone. The increased binding to the LDL receptor produced by insulin and T3 was additive. We conclude that T3, insulin and glucocorticoids may play important roles in regulating plasma LDL concentrations by direct effect on LDL uptake by the liver.     

Nuclear triiodothyronine receptors in rat Sertoli cells

The existence of specific triiodothyronine (T3) receptors in cultured rat Sertoli cells was investigated by evaluating the affinity and capacity of nuclear binding for T3. The results demonstrate the presence of high affinity (Ka = 0.15 +/- 0.02 X 10(10) M-1), low capacity (1.35 +/- 0.07 pmol T3/mg DNA) binding sites for T3 in rat Sertoli cell nuclei. It is demonstrated that, within the developing testis, the major localization of nuclear T3 receptors is in Sertoli cells.     

Nuclear triiodothyronine binding sites in rat adipocytes

Most effects of thyroid hormones appear to be mediated by the binding of triiodothyronine (T3) to nuclear triiodothyronine binding sites (NT3BS). Although thyroid hormones influence adipocyte metabolism, NT3BS have not been described in mature adipocytes yet. This report describes T3 nuclear binding in isolated nuclei from rat epididymal fat pad adipocytes. Nuclei were isolated by exposing collagenase-dispersed adipocytes to STM (sucrose, 0.25 mol/L; TRIS, 20 mmol/L; MgCl2, 1.1 mmol/L, pH 7.85) containing 0.5% (vol/vol) Triton X-100. Incubation of nuclei suspended in STM/EDTA (2 mmol/L)/DTT (5 mmol/L) with 125I-T3 and varying concentrations of unlabeled T3 at 37 degrees C for one hour revealed the presence of high-affinity, low-capacity NT3BS. Their MBC was 0.39 +/- 0.04 (SD) ng of T3 per milligram of DNA and their Kd was 1.4 +/- 0.5 (SD) X 10(-10) mol/L T3. Specific binding reached a plateau between 30 minutes and two hours of incubation. The addition of 5 X 10(-7) mol/L T3 to nuclei incubated for one hour with 2 X 10(-11) mol/L T3 completely displaced the specifically bound 125I-T3 within 30 minutes. Thyroxine (T4) and 3, 3', 5'-triiodothyronine (rT3) could displace 125I-T3 from the NT3BS but were less than 10% and 1% as effective, respectively, as T3. Rat epididymal fat pad adipocytes contain NT3BS, the binding characteristics of which are similar to those of rat hepatic NT3BS.     

Metabolism of thyroid hormones in isolated rat hepatocytes: studies on the influences of carbamazepine and phenytoin

The in vitro handling of thyroid hormones was studied in isolated rat hepatocytes by measuring 1) the cellular uptake of T4, 2) the conversion of T4 to T3 and 3) the degradation of T4 and T3. The in vitro conversion of T4 to T3 increased significantly by adding ethanol 2% or carbamazepine (CBZ) 400 microM in ethanol 2% to the incubation medium. As there was no difference between ethanol and CBZ/ethanol on the T3 formation, this effect was probably caused by ethanol. The T3 formation was unaffected by phenytoin (PHT) in conc. up to 400 microM, while propylthiouracil (PTU) 100 and 400 microM inhibited the conversion completely. The T4 to T3 conversion in hepatocytes from rats pretreated with CBZ or PHT for 2 weeks was not significantly different from untreated controls. The cellular uptake of T4 was reduced by about 30% in the presence of PHT and unaltered by CBZ and ethanol. The degradation of T4 and T3 was not influenced by the in vitro addition of CBZ or PHT, nor was the degradation of T4 and T3 significantly different from untreated controls in hepatocyte suspensions from CBZ or PHT pretreated rats. Our findings suggest that the handling of thyroid hormones in isolated rat hepatocytes is not influenced by the in vitro or in vivo exposure to CBZ or PHT.     

Exchange of triiodothyronine derived from thyroxine with circulating triiodothyronine as studied in the rat.

At present it is widely assumed that T3 derived from T4 is rapidly and totally exchangeable within the volume of distribution of T3 secreted by the thyroid into the bloodstream. This concept is implied when conclusions are drawn from comparisons between a biological effect in a responsive tissue and circulating T3 and T4 levels. Such conclusions are often in conflict with those derived by comparing the biological effect with the concentrations of T3 and T4 in the responsive tissue itself. Thus, it appeared important to test the above assumption directly. Thyroidectomized rats have been treated for 4-4 1/2 days with a mixture of 131I labelled T4 (131T4) and 125I labelled T3 (125T3), which was either injected twice daily or administered by continuous i.v. infusion. The rats were bled, perfused, and their plasma and tissues submitted to extraction and paper chromatography. If the tested assumption were correct, the ratio between the T3 derived from T4 and the T3 injected as such (namely, the 131T3/125T3 ratio) should be the same in plasma, liver, kidney, heart, muscle, etc. It was evident that the 131T3/125T3 ratio was not the same for different tissues. The differences were not merely due to artefactual deiodinations. The presence of small amounts of 131I and 125I containing compounds in the T3 spot was considered as highly unlikely, though not totally excluded. The data thus suggest that T3 derived from T4 and the injected (or thyroidally secreted) T3 might not be totally exchangeable within an observation period which is considerably longer than the one for which complete equilibrium was previously assumed. If so, changes in the size of the T4 pool, or in the rate of T4 conversion to T3, might affect the concentration of T3 in a given tissue to an extent not disclosed from the circulating T3 levels alone. Several possible consequences of the present findings are discussed.     

Characterization of triiodothyronine transport and accumulation in rat erythrocytes

The transport of L-T3 was studied in washed rat erythrocytes. L-T3 uptake was temperature sensitive: the initial velocity of uptake at low substrate concentration was 40 times higher at 37 C than at 0C whereas, at equilibrium, the ratio of cell-associated to extracellular L-T3 was about 7 times lower at 37 C than at 0 C. When [125I]L-T3-loaded erythrocytes were diluted into a serum albumin-containing medium, the efflux of L-T3 proceeded at a rate similar to that of influx. A large excess of unlabeled L-T3 in the medium blocked influx and efflux of labeled L-T3, indicating a saturable carrier-mediated transport process across the plasma membrane. the transport obeyed simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics with an apparent Km of 53 nM and a Vmax of 4.3 pmol/min.10(8) cells at 0 C. The Km increased only slightly with temperature whereas the Vmax was 100 times higher at 37 than at 0 C. The Arrhenius activation energy of uptake was 21 Cal/mol. The nonsaturable adsorption of L-T3 to the cells did not exceed 1% of the equilibrium levels at 0 C and 10% at 37 C. Uptake of L-T3 was very specific: unlabeled L-T4, D-T3, triiodothyroacetic acid, rT3, and DL-thyronine inhibited uptake with inhibition constant (Ki) values which were 35, 60, 65, 110, and 250 times, respectively, greater than the Km of L-T3. [125I]L-T4 uptake was negligible. L-T3 uptake and L-T4 inhibition of L-T3 uptake were pH dependent. It is suggested that only the unionized 4'-OH forms of the hormones were recognized by the transport system. At equilibrium, L-T3 was accumulated within the cell (apparent intracellular concentration approximately 50 times higher than that in the medium at 37 C). However, uptake was not dependent on the transmembrane Na+ gradient, suggesting facilitated rather than active transport. Analysis of L-T3 binding to erythrocyte cytosolic proteins suggested that they were implicated in the intracellular trapping of L-T3. At a concentration of 5 x 10(9) erythrocytes/ml (approximately the blood concentration), the amount of L-T3 accumulated in the cells was 13.5 times higher than the extracellular amount. We conclude that L-T3 is solely transported by a saturable, stereospecific, and Na+-independent carrier system. The intracellular accumulation and the rapid transmembrane movements of L-T3 suggest that erythrocytes might play a role in the interorgan transport of L-T3.     

Nuclear triiodothyronine receptors in the developing rat brain.

This study examines whether the high sensitivity of the developing brain to thyroid hormones and the purported decline in sensitivity in adulthood, are correlated with changes in the density and affinity characteristics of specific nuclear T3 receptors. The authors have found that the nuclei of cerebral hemispheres have a high density of T3 receptors at birth (212 +/-28 X 10(-17) mol/microgram DNA) which declines to adult levels by the end of the second postnatal week (115 +/- 7 X 10(-17) mol/microgram DNA), remaining at this level until 6 months of age. Even though no significant changes were detected in the equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) during the early period of development, comparison neonatal with the adult brain reveals a decrease in Kd (neonatal, 3.9 X 10(-10) M; adult, 2.3 X 10(-10) M). In the developing animal, neonatal thyroidectomy increased the number of binding sites in the nucleus by 36--44%. It is concluded that the high number of nuclear T3 receptors in the first week of postnatal life is correlated with the high dependence of brain tissue on thyroid hormones and that the decline in brain sensitivity may be associated with the decline in nuclear T3 receptors. The high affinity and density of nuclear receptors in adult brain tissue relative to the developing brain and liver, respectively, point to a continued regulatory role of thyroid hormones in brain.     

Tissue-specific differences in the compartmentalization of rat nuclear triiodothyronine receptors

In addition to the recognized rat liver nuclear T3 receptor extractable with hypertonic salt, recent studies have described nucleoplasmic receptors extractable with isotonic KCl and salt-resistant receptors localized to the nuclear matrix. A method was developed for the determination of intra-nuclear receptor distribution in small samples of nuclei dispersed within glass wool matrices. After in vitro labelling with 6 nmol/l [125I]T3, dispersed nuclei were sequentially extracted with 0.15 mol/l KCl (yielding nucleoplasmic receptors), 0.4 mol/l KCl. and 2 mol/l KCl (the latter two concentrations yielding hypertonic salt-extractable receptors). The salt-resistant receptors were retained within the glass wool columns. The intra-nuclear distribution of in vivo labelled receptors was very similar to that obtained by in vitro labelling. The equilibrium association constants for L-T3 binding among the receptor pools ranged from 0.6 X 10(9) to 1.0 X 10(9) l/mol. The distribution of total nuclear receptors within each nuclear compartment was (percentage of nucleoplasmic, hypertonic salt-extractable, and salt-resistant receptors): Cerebrum: 23.6, 52.2, 24.2; Liver: 25.2, 57.2, 17.5; Kidney: 45.9, 33.5, 20.6; Testis: 65.5, 14.7, 19.7; and Spleen: 66.7, 18.7, 14.6. The rank order of percentage of hypertonic salt-extractable receptors approximates the rank order of thyroid hormone-responsiveness by traditional criteria. The inverse is true for the percentage of nucleoplasmic receptors. The percentage of salt-resistant receptors was very similar in all of the tissues.     

Localization of triiodothyronine in nerve ending fractions of rat brain.

Radioactive triiodothyronine reaching the rat brain after intravenous administration is rapidly and selectively taken up in the nerve ending fraction. A concentration gradient of radioactivity from brain cytosol to synaptosomes is observed at 5 min, increases linearly over the first hour, and is maintained for at least 10 hr. Radioactivity in the synaptosomes is due to triiodothyronine (90%) plus a single unidentified metabolite (10%). Approximately 85% of the synaptosomal radioactivity is released by osmotic disruption of the particles. The process of selective uptake, concentration, and retention of triiodothyronine in nerve terminals of the rat brain may be related to the sympathomimetic and behavior-altering effects of the thyroid hormones.     

Regulation of rat pancreatic nuclear triiodothyronine receptor by glucocorticoid

The nuclear T3 receptors in rat pancreas exhibit a characteristic maturation pattern during development and are subjected to autologous regulation by thyroid hormones. To see if glucocorticoids also regulate T3 receptors in the pancreas, rats at various age groups were subjected to experimental conditions that altered their glucocorticoid status and the corresponding changes in nuclear T3 receptors, and exocrine enzymes in their pancreata were evaluated. Hydrocortisone administration to normal suckling and weaning rats did not change total T3 binding capacity or the dissociation constant as measured at 30 degrees C (Kd30). A significant increase in the degree of occupancy of the T3 receptor was found at 5-10 days after treatment with hydrocortisone (42.2 + 4.1% vs. 19.2 + 2.0%). T3 binding capacity and exocrine enzyme concentrations were significantly reduced in both adrenalectomized (Adx) pups and adults, indicating a continuous dependency on glucocorticoid from preweaning to adulthood. In adrenalectomized rat pups, either T4 or glucocorticoid replacement alone restored T3 binding capacity and exocrine enzyme concentrations. T4 and glucocorticoid were given together to Adx rats, the level of stimulation of both pancreatic T3 binding capacity and exocrine enzyme concentrations was found to be equal to the sum of the stimulation by each of these hormones when given alone. Furthermore, a good correlation was found between Bmax30 (Bmax measured at 30 degrees C, representing total sites) for T3 binding and exocrine enzyme activities in different groups following various experimental treatments. These findings provide further evidence that thyroxine can act directly on the rat pancreas presumably through the T3 receptor in regulating the postnatal development of the exocrine enzymes.     

Ontogeny of hepatic nuclear triiodothyronine receptor isoforms in the rat.

We have determined the contribution of the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) isoforms TR alpha 1 and TR beta 1 to the postnatal rise in rat hepatic nuclear T3-binding capacity. In agreement with previous studies, total hepatic nuclear binding capacity rose by about 8-fold from the 19th day of gestation to young adulthood at 2 months of age (0.10 +/- 0.03 to 0.86 +/- 0.17 pmol/mg DNA). The levels of specific TR species were measured by immunoprecipitation of T3-binding activity from hepatic extracts using a panel of antisera directed against specific regions of the TR isoforms. The difference between receptor immunoprecipitated with antibody against TR beta 1 and that precipitated with an antibody against an identical region in both TR beta 1 and TR alpha 1 was tentatively assumed to represent TR alpha 1. TR alpha 1 accounted for virtually all T3-binding activity in fetal liver on gestational day 19 (G19), increased by 2-fold shortly after birth, and remained constant thereafter. TR alpha 1 mRNA, on the other hand, was highest in concentration on G16 and fell by 50-75% in the adult. TR beta 1 was undetectable by immunoprecipitation of hepatic extracts from fetuses on G19. However, Northern analysis showed the presence of TR beta 1 mRNA in the fetal liver, which rose in concentration by 3- to 4-fold in late gestation and then remained constant. The contribution of TR beta 1 to total binding capacity rose to 33% and 40% on postnatal days 15 and 30, respectively, and to 80% in the adult liver. Immunohistochemical analyses of hepatic sections confirmed the presence of very low levels of TR beta 1 in fetal liver as early as G16 and G19, and a sharp rise in TR beta 1 protein concentration in the postnatal period. This indicated that the increase in TR beta 1-binding capacity results from increased TR beta 1 mass. The increase in TR beta 1-binding capacity, thus, is due to increased translational efficiency of the beta 1 mRNA or stabilization of the TR beta 1 protein. The prominence of TR alpha 1 in both rat fetal liver and fetal brain, as previously demonstrated in our laboratory, raises the possibility that this receptor isoform may carry out specialized functions in the fetus and that TR beta 1 subserves still other functions at later stages of development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Metabolism of sulfobromophthalein in jaundiced rat

We observed previously in humans that loading with BSP in obstructive jaundice resulted in elevated blood levels, of cysteine-conjugated BSP (Cyst-BSP). In order to clarify the mechanism of this phenomenon, an investigation was made into the origin of Cyst-BSP in rats with experimentally produced obstruction of bile duct (O-J). Using untreated rats as controls, the animals were determined for glutathione content and glutathione S transferase activity (GST) in liver cytosol. The influence of nephrectomy upon and the role of liver cell membrane in biodisposition of BSP were also investigated. The results are summarized as follows: 1) In the O-J group, the excretion in bile of glutathione-conjugated BSP (GSH-BSP) was markedly decreased. 2) O-J livers were found to have higher glutathione content and GST activity as compared to control livers. 3) Nephrectomy in O-J rats was followed by no gross change in the proportion of Cyst-BSP in blood and liver cytosol. 4) Following administration of individual liver cell membrane components change from GSH-BSP to Cyst-BSP was noted to occur only in O-J rats. These results led us to surmise that GSH-BSP accumulated in the liver in O-J is hydrolyzed to Cyst-BSP in the liver cell membrane.