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G Hennemann

Publications and source records attributed to G Hennemann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Identification of thyroid hormone transporters.

Thyroid hormone action and metabolism are intracellular events that require transport of the hormone across the plasma membrane. We tested the possible involvement of the Na+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (Ntcp) and organic anion transporting polypeptide (oatp1) in the hepatic uptake of the prohormone T4, the active hormone T3, and the metabolites rT3 and 3,3'-T2. Xenopus laevis oocytes were injected with 2.3 ng Ntcp or oatp1 cRNA and, after 2-3 days, incubated for 1 h at 25 degrees C with usually 0.1 microM 125I-labeled ligand. Uninjected oocytes showed marked uptake of iodothyronines and this was further increased by Ntcp and oatp1 cRNA, i.e., 1.9- and 2.8-fold for T4, 1.7- and 1.7-fold for T3, 1.8- and 6.0-fold for rT3, and 1.3- and 1.4-fold for 3,3'-T2, respectively. Mostly due to much lower uptake by uninjected oocytes, Ntcp and oatp1 cRNA induced larger, 12- to 76-fold increases in uptake of iodothyronine sulfates. The Ntcp cRNA-induced iodothyronine uptake was completely inhibited in Na+-deplete medium, whereas the oatp1 cRNA-induced uptake was not affected. These results suggest that hepatic uptake of thyroid hormones and their metabolites is mediated at least in part by Ntcp and oatp1.

Animals

Rapid sulfation of 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine in native Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Sulfation is an important metabolic pathway facilitating the degradation of thyroid hormone by the type I iodothyronine deiodinase. Different human and rat tissues contain cytoplasmic sulfotransferases that show a substrate preference for 3,3'-diiodothyronine (3,3'-T2) > T3 > rT3 > T4. During investigation of the expression of plasma membrane transporters for thyroid hormone by injection of rat liver RNA in Xenopus laevis oocytes, we found uptake and metabolism of iodothyronines by native oocytes. Groups of 10 oocytes were incubated for 20 h at 18 C in 0.1 ml medium containing 500,000 cpm (1-5 nM) [125I]T4, [125I]T3, [125I]rT3, or [125I]3,3'-T2. In addition, cytosol prepared from oocytes was tested for iodothyronine sulfotransferase activity by incubation of 1 mg cytosolic protein/ml for 30 min at 21 C with 1 microM [125I]T4, [125I]T3, [125I]rT3, or [125I]3,3'-T2 and 50 microM 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate. Incubation media, oocyte extracts, and assay mixtures were analyzed by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography for production of conjugates and iodide. After 20-h incubation, the percentage of added radioactivity present as conjugates in the media and oocytes amounted to 0.9 +/- 0.2 and 1.0 +/- 0.1 for T4, less than 0.1 and less than 0.1 for T3, 32.5 +/- 0.4 and 29.3 +/- 0.2 for rT3, and 3.8 +/- 0.3 and 2.3 +/- 0.2 for 3,3'-T2, respectively (mean +/- SEM; n = 3). The conjugate produced from rT3 was identified as rT3 sulfate, as it was hydrolyzed by acid treatment. After injection of oocytes with copy RNA coding for rat type I iodothyronine deiodinase, we found an increase in iodide production from rT3 from 2.3% (water-injected oocytes) to 46.2% accompanied by a reciprocal decrease in rT3 sulfate accumulation from 53.7% to 7.1%. After 30-min incubation with cytosol and 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate, sulfate formation amounted to 1.8% for T4, less than 0.1% for T3, 77.9% for rT3, and 2.9% for 3,3'-T2. These results show that rT3 is rapidly metabolized in native oocytes by sulfation. The substrate preference of the sulfotransferase activity in oocytes is rT3 >> 3,3'-T2 > T4 > T3. The physiological significance of the high activity for rT3 sulfation in X. laevis oocytes remains to be established.

Animals

Expression of rat liver cell membrane transporters for thyroid hormone in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

The present study was conducted to explore the possible use of Xenopus laevis oocytes for the expression cloning of cell membrane transporters for iodothyronines. Injection of stage V-VI X. laevis oocytes with 23 ng Wistar rat liver polyadenylated RNA (mRNA) resulted after 3-4 days in a highly significant increase in [125I]T3 (5 nM) uptake from 6.4 +/- 0.8 fmol/oocyte x h in water-injected oocytes to 9.2 +/- 0.65 fmol/oocyte x h (mean +/- SEM; n = 19). In contrast, [125I]T4 (4 nM) uptake was not significantly stimulated by injection of total liver mRNA. T3 uptake induced by liver mRNA was significantly inhibited by replacement of Na+ in the incubation medium by choline+ or by simultaneous incubation with 1 microM unlabeled T3. In contrast, T3 uptake by water-injected oocytes was not Na+ dependent. Fractionation of liver mRNA on a 6-20% sucrose gradient showed that maximal stimulation of T3 uptake was obtained with mRNA of 0.8-2.1 kilobases (kb). In contrast to unfractionated mRNA, the 0.7- to 2.1-kb fraction also significantly stimulated transport of T4, and it was found to induce uptake of T3 sulfate (T3S). Because T3S is a good substrate for type I deiodinase (D1), 2.3 ng rat D1 complementary RNA (cRNA) were injected either alone or together with 23 ng of the 0.8- to 2.1-kb fraction of rat liver mRNA. Compared with water-injected oocytes, injection of D1 cRNA alone did not stimulate uptake of [125I]T3S (1.25 nM). T3S uptake in liver mRNA and D1 cRNA-injected oocytes was similar to that in oocytes injected with mRNA alone, showing that transport of T3S is independent of the metabolic capacity of the oocyte. Furthermore, coinjection of liver mRNA and D1 cRNA strongly increased the production of 125I-, showing that the T3S taken up by the oocyte is indeed transported to the cell interior. In conclusion, injection of rat liver mRNA into X. laevis oocytes resulted in a stimulation of saturable, Na+-dependent T4, T3 and T3S transport, indicating that rat liver contains mRNA(s) coding for plasma membrane transporters for these iodothyronine derivatives.

Animals

Different regulation of thyroid hormone transport in liver and pituitary: its possible role in the maintenance of low T3 production during nonthyroidal illness and fasting in man.

Nonthyroidal illness (NTI) and fasting in man are characterized by a low serum concentration of T3 and an increased serum concentration of rT3. Since the serum level of T3 is one of the most important factors that determine the metabolic rate, the low serum T3 during NTI or fasting results in reduction of the energy consumption of the body. This can be regarded as an adaptive mechanism to save energy, and thus to conserve protein and to protect organ function. The low serum T3 concentration should preferentially be maintained until recovery from illness or adequate calorie supply. This implies that the low serum T3 should not result in a rise in serum TSH. We postulate that different regulation of thyroid hormone transport into the relevant tissues, i.e., liver and pituitary, may play a role in maintenance of the low T3 production during NTI and fasting. This hypothesis is further elaborated in this paper by comparing (i) the properties of the thyroid hormone uptake mechanism in rat and human hepatocytes, perfused rat liver, and rat anterior pituitary cells, and (ii) the effects of fasting and conditions that mimic NTI on thyroid hormone transport in the same preparations. In addition, the consequences of changes in thyroid hormone transport and peripheral thyroid hormone metabolism during fasting and NTI for the serum level of rT3 and for TSH secretion are discussed. The data are compatible with the existence of different transport systems for thyroid hormone in liver and pituitary. We suggest that these different thyroid hormone carriers allow tissue-specific regulation of the intracellular availability of T3.

Animals

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in non-medullary thyroid cancer.

8 patients with papillary cancer (4 with metastases, 4 in remission), 7 follicular cancer patients (6 with metastases), 2 patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer and 4 other non-medullary thyroid cancer patients all received an intravenous bolus injection of 220 MBq [111In-DTPA-D-Phe1]octreotide. Planar anterior and posterior gamma camera images of head-neck, chest and abdomen were obtained 24 and 48 h after injection. All primary cancers showed [111In-DTPA-D-Phe1] octreotide uptake; none occurred in patients in remission. The results were compared with conventional radio-iodine scintigraphy in patients with metastasised, differentiated thyroid cancer.

Carcinoma, Papillary

Uptake of thyroid hormones in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes.

The uptake and metabolism of T3 and T4 were investigated in cardiomyocytes isolated from 2-day-old rats. Myocytes (2-5 x 10(5) cells/well) were cultured for 1 day in medium with 5% horse serum-5% FCS and subsequently for 4 days without serum; in some cases myocytes were cultured with serum throughout the culture period. Experiments were performed at 37 C in medium with 0.5% BSA for measurement of [125I]T3 (200,000 cpm; 200 pM) uptake and with 0.1% BSA for measurement of [125I]T4 (200,000 cpm; 350 pM) uptake. Uptake of [125I]T3, expressed as femtomoles per picomolar concentration of free hormone, with any incubation time between 15 min and 24 h was at least 2-fold higher than that of [125I]T4. Neither T3 nor T4 was deiodinated within 24 h. This was observed in cells cultured in the absence or presence of serum. After 15 min of incubation, [125I]T3 uptake was 0.048 +/- 0.002 fmol/pM free T3 (n = 9), and [125I]T4 uptake was 0.018 +/- 0.003 fmol/pM free T4 (n = 9). Although [125I]T3 uptake was reduced by 31-40% (P < 0.05) by coincubation with 100 nM to 10 microM unlabeled T3, that of [125I]T4 was not affected by 1 nM to 10 microM unlabeled T4, nor was [125I]T3 uptake reduced by 10 microM unlabeled T4. Preincubation (30 min) and incubation (15 min) with 10 microM oligomycin reduced cellular ATP by 56% (P < 0.05) and [125I]T3 uptake by 73% (P < 0.05), but had no effect on [125I]T4 uptake. Similarly, [125I]T3 uptake, but not [125I]T4 uptake, was dependent on temperature and partly dependent on the Na+ gradient, as shown by the inhibitory effect of 10 microM monensin (27%; P < 0.05). The effect of aromatic amino acids (2 mM) on [125I]T3 uptake increased in the order phenylalanine < tyrosine < tryptophan. It is concluded that T3 is taken up in neonatal cardiomyocytes by an energy-dependent carrier-mediated mechanism that is also partly dependent on the Na+ gradient. Such a transport mechanism for T4 is not present in the neonatal heart, but it may appear later during development.

Animals

Effects of interleukin-1 beta on thyrotropin secretion and thyroid hormone uptake in cultured rat anterior pituitary cells.

The effects of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) on basal and TRH-induced TSH release, and the effects of IL-1 beta on the uptake of [125I]T3 and [125I]T4 and on nuclear binding of [125I]T3 were examined. Furthermore, the release of other anterior pituitary hormones in the presence of IL-1 beta was measured. Anterior pituitary cells from male Wistar rats were cultured for 3 days in medium containing 10% FCS. Incubation were performed at 37 C in medium with 0.5% BSA for measurement of [125I]T3 uptake and with 0.1% BSA for measurement of [125I]T4 uptake. Exposure to IL-1 beta (1 pM-1 nM) or TNF alpha (100 pM) for 2-4 h resulted in a significant decline in TSH release, which was almost 50% (P < 0.05) for 1 nM IL-1 beta and 24% (P < 0.05) for 100 pM TNF alpha. Measurement of other anterior pituitary hormones (FSH, LH, PRL, and ACTH) in the same incubation medium showed that IL-1 beta did not alter their release. When the effects of IL-1 beta (1 pM-1 nM) and TNF alpha (100 pM) on TRH-induced TSH release were measured in short term experiments, the inhibitory effects had disappeared. The addition of 1-100 nM octreotide, a somatostatin analog, resulted in a decrease in TRH-induced TSH release up to 33% of the control value (P < 0.05). Exposure to dexamethasone (1 nM to 1 microM) affected basal and TRH-induced TSH release similar to the effect of IL-1 beta. The 15-min uptake of [125I]T3 and [125I]T4, expressed as femtomoles per pM free hormone, was not affected by the presence of IL-1 beta (1-100 pM). When IL-1 beta (100 pM) was present during 3 days of culture, TSH release was reduced to 88 +/- 2% of the control value (P < 0.05). This effect was not associated with an altered [125I]T3 uptake (15 min to 4 h) or with any change in nuclear T3 binding. We conclude that 1) IL-1 beta decreases TSH release by a direct action on the pituitary; 2) this effect is not due to elevated thyroid hormone uptake or increase T3 nuclear occupancy; 3) IL-1 beta does not affect TRH-induced TSH release or the release of other anterior pituitary hormones; and 4) TNF alpha affects basal and TRH-induced TSH release in the same way as IL-1 beta.

Animals

Uptake and metabolism of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine and 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine by human liver-derived cells: HepG2 cells as a model for thyroid hormone handling by human liver.

The uptake and metabolism of T3 and rT3 was studied in human liver-derived HepG2 cells. The results showed a saturable, time-dependent, and ouabain-sensitive increase in nuclear bound T3. The effects of ouabain (0.5 mmol/L) and unlabeled T3 (10 nmol/L and 10 mumol/L) were much more pronounced at the nuclear level, suggesting the presence of a nonspecific component in total cellular binding. Nuclear binding of rT3 remained below the detection limit in all experiments. Comparison of rT3 metabolism in HepG2 cells and primary cultures of rat hepatocytes showed an approximately 10-fold lower iodide production in HepG2 cells. Iodide production was decreased in the presence of ouabain and almost absent in the presence of propylthiouracil (100 mumol/L). Our data confirmed the presence of a carrier-mediated uptake system for both T3 and rT3. Metabolism data indicated functional type I deiodinase activity in HepG2 cells, the presence of glucuronidating enzymes, and the absence of thyroid hormone sulfotransferase activity. Based on these data, we propose that HepG2 cells provide an appropriate model for thyroid hormone handling by human liver. In addition, we suggest that in human liver sulfation of thyroid hormone, and therefore deiodination of T3 is of only minor importance.

Animals

[Multiple pulmonary embolisms in nursing home patients recognizable by alertness to certain aspecific symptoms].

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether increased alertness regarding multiple pulmonary embolism in geriatric patients increases the number of cases diagnosed. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive study. SETTING: Dutch nursing homes Mariënhaven (psychogeriatric) in Warmond and De Wilbert (somatic and psychogeriatric) in Katwijk aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. METHOD: In the period 1989-1991, the diagnosis of multiple pulmonary embolism was suspected in 15 patients with an 'unclear' or 'aspecific' complex of symptoms, who subsequently underwent ventilation perfusion scintigraphy. RESULTS: In 11/15 patients the diagnosis of multiple pulmonary embolism was confirmed. These patients were treated with anticoagulants resulting in complete recovery in 9 patients. Aspecific symptoms suggestive of pulmonary embolism include subfebrile temperature, respiratory and sensory disturbances and a clinical picture mimicking airway infection. If lung scintigraphy is only performed if a positive diagnosis will have the therapeutical consequences for the patients concerned, and assuming that refraining from treatment would lead to death, it was calculated that on a yearly basis mortality in subjects in nursing homes could be reduced by more than 2% when appropriate diagnosis is made and treatment given. Comparison of the data from SIG Health Information (Utrecht) with the present results suggests that the prevalence of (multiple) pulmonary embolism in the Dutch nursing homes is insufficiently recognized. CONCLUSION: More alertness regarding multiple pulmonary embolism in nursing home patients will establish the diagnosis more frequently and proper treatment of this condition will lead to a decrease in mortality.

Aged

Pulmonary infarction caused by giant-cell arteritis of the pulmonary artery.

A 79-year-old woman presented with a pulmonary infarction concurrent with a relapse of giant-cell arteritis during tapering off of prednisone. As no origin for thromboembolism could be found, it is very probable that the thrombosis of the branch of the pulmonary artery was superimposed on local giant-cell vasculitis. Rapid clinical and laboratory recovery was achieved with anticoagulant therapy and by increasing the prednisone dosage. The literature on this rare manifestation of giant-cell arteritis is reviewed.

Aged

Effects of a furan fatty acid and indoxyl sulfate on thyroid hormone uptake in cultured anterior pituitary cells.

A furan fatty acid, 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (CMPF) and indoxyl sulfate (Indox) accumulate in serum of uremic patients and inhibit the active uptake of thyroxine (T4) into hepatocytes. We tested the effects of CMPF and Indox on the uptake of [125I]triiodothyronine (T3) and [125I]T4 and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) release in anterior pituitary cells. Pituitary cells (500,000/well) were cultured for 3 days in medium with 10% fetal calf serum. Experiments were performed at 37 degrees C in the same medium with 0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA; [125I]T3 uptake and TSH secretion) or 0.1% BSA ([125I]T4 uptake). The 15-min uptake of [125I]T3 amounted to 0.074 +/- 0.003 fmol/pM free T3 (n = 23) and that of [125I]T4 to 0.033 +/- 0.002 fmol/pM free T4 (n = 32). Preincubation (30 min) and incubation (15 min) with CMPF (20-200 microM) did not alter the uptake of [125I]T3 but reduced [125I]T4 uptake by 27% (P < 0.05) at the highest concentration tested. Indox (40-400 microM) did not affect the uptake of [125I]T3 or [125I]T4. CMPF (40 microM) and Indox (80 microM) did not directly affect the basal or thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-induced TSH release nor interfere with the effect of 10 nM T3 on TRH-induced TSH release. In conclusion, the absence of inhibitory effects of CMPF or Indox on thyroid hormone uptake by pituitary cells suggests that the transport mechanism is regulated differently compared with that in hepatocytes and underscores the significance of the thyroid hormone carriers for the intracellular availability of T3.

Animals

Uptake of 3,3',5,5'-tetraiodothyroacetic acid and 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine in cultured rat anterior pituitary cells and their effects on thyrotropin secretion.

We compared the uptake, metabolism, and biological effects of tetraiodothyroacetic acid (Tetrac) and rT3 in anterior pituitary cells with those of T4 and T3. Cells were isolated from adult male Wistar rats and cultured for 3 days in medium with 10% fetal calf serum. Uptake was measured at 37 C in medium with 0.1% BSA for [125I]Tetrac (200,000 cpm; 240 pM) and [125I]T4 (100,000 cpm; 175 pM) or with 0.5% BSA for [125I]rT3 (100,000 cpm; 250 pM) and [125I]T3 (50,000 cpm; 50 pM). The free fraction of Tetrac was 1% that of T4 (in medium with 0.1 and with 0.5% BSA), and the free fraction of rT3 was half that of T3. Uptake of the four tracers increased sharply up to 1 h of incubation and then leveled off. Expressed as femtomoles per pM free hormone, uptake at equilibrium was 1.16 +/- 0.16 (n = 6) for Tetrac, 0.15 +/- 0.01 (n = 6) for T4, 0.023 +/- 0.003 (n = 6) for rT3, and 0.21 +/- 0.02 (n = 6) for T3. Cell-associated radioactivity after incubation for 24 h with [125I]Tetrac was represented for 15% by [125I]Triac; after incubation with [125I]T4 for 15-20% by [125I]T3, after incubation with [125I]rT3 for 6% by [125I]3,3'-T2, while [125I]T3 was still for 98% [125I]T3. Exposure of cells for 2 h to 100 nM TRH stimulated TSH release by 90-135%. Tetrac was effective in reducing this response at a free concentration of 0.05 pM, but rT3 was effective only at a free concentration of 16 nM. A free Tetrac concentration of 5 pM was equally effective as 50 pM free T4 in reducing the TSH response to TRH. In human serum, Tetrac was exclusively bound to T4-binding prealbumin. The free Tetrac fraction was 0.001% in control subjects and rose 2- to 12-fold in patients with nonthyroidal illness. As uptake of [125I]Tetrac in the pituitary was higher than that of T4 and T3, and it was more potent than T4 in reducing TSH release, Tetrac may be of potential significance for the regulation of TSH secretion in vivo.

Animals

Impaired thyroxine and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine handling by rat hepatocytes in the presence of serum of patients with nonthyroidal illness.

In systemic nonthyroidal illness (NTI), peripheral production of T3 from T4 is decreased, resulting in a decreased serum T3 concentration. We investigated whether factors in serum of NTI patients may play a role in this energy-saving adaptation mechanism. Metabolism of T4 and T3 by rat hepatocytes in primary culture was measured in the presence of 10% serum of normal subjects or of patients with NTI and related to the severity of disease. Patients with NTI were grouped according to serum thyroid hormone abnormalities: group I, serum rT3, T3, and T4 normal; group III, rT3 elevated, T3 decreased, T4 normal; group IV, rT3 elevated, T3 and T4 decreased. Compared with metabolism in the presence of normal serum, metabolism of T4 and to a lesser extent of T3 was progressively decreased in the presence of serum of patients of groups I-IV. A decreased net deiodination of T4 and T3 (corrected for differences in free hormone concentration) without an increase in conjugated T4 and T3 (corrected for differences in free hormone concentration) was observed, similar to results in experiments with compounds inhibiting transport into the cells and not the metabolic processes (5' deiodination) per se. Deiodination of T4 in vitro was correlated with serum T3 concentration of the patient (r = 0.69). Serum of patients with NTI influences thyroid hormone handling by hepatocytes comparable to the effect of transport inhibitors and not to that of the 5'-deiodinase inhibitor propylthiouracil, suggesting that decreased thyroid hormone transport over the cell membrane may play a role in lowered T3 production in NTI.

Animals

Adaptive changes in transmembrane transport and metabolism of triiodothyronine in perfused livers of fed and fasted hypothyroid and hyperthyroid rats.

The transport and subsequent metabolism of triiodothyronine (T3) were studied in isolated perfused livers of euthyroid, hypothyroid, and hyperthyroid rats, both fed and 48-hour-fasted. T3 kinetics (transport and metabolism) during perfusion were evaluated by a two-pool model, whereas the metabolism of T3 was also investigated by determination of T3 breakdown products by chromatography of medium and bile. For comparison of groups, metabolism was corrected for differences in transport. Transport parameters in fed hypothyroid livers were not significantly changed as compared with euthyroid livers, whereas metabolism was decreased. In fed hyperthyroid livers, fractional transfer rate constants for influx (k21) and efflux (k12) were decreased and metabolism, corrected for differences in intracellular mass transfer, was increased. Furthermore, for transport in hyperthyroid liver it was shown that only total mass transfer (TMT) into the metabolizing liver compartment (not into the nonmetabolizing liver compartment) was decreased. Transport and metabolic parameters in fasted hypothyroid livers were decreased as compared with euthyroid fed livers. In fasted hyperthyroid livers, transport and metabolism were not significantly different as compared with that in euthyroid fed livers, so transport was increased versus hyperthyroid fed livers. It appeared therefore that fasting normalized the effects of hyperthyroidism on both the transport and metabolic processes of T3 in the liver. The present study demonstrates normal transport and decreased metabolism in livers of hypothyroid fed rats and decreased transport and increased metabolism in livers of hyperthyroid fed rats. In livers of hypothyroid fasted rats transport and metabolism were decreased, whereas in livers of hyperthyroid fasted rats transport and metabolism were not significantly different from that in euthyroid fed livers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adaptation, Physiological

Uptake of triiodothyronine sulfate and suppression of thyrotropin secretion in cultured anterior pituitary cells.

To investigate the uptake of triiodothyronine sulfate (T3S) and its effect on thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-induced thyrotropin (TSH) secretion, anterior pituitary cells were isolated from euthyroid rats and cultured for 3 days in medium containing 10% fetal calf serum. Incubation was performed at 37 degrees C in medium containing 0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA). Exposure of the pituitary cells to TRH (0.1 mumol/L) for 2 hours stimulated TSH secretion by 176%. This effect was reduced by approximately 45% after a 2-hour preincubation with T3 (0.001 to 1 mumol/L). A significant inhibitory effect of T3S on TRH-induced TSH release was only observed at a concentration of 1 mumol/L. The uptake of [125I]T3 after 1 hour of incubation was reduced by 40% +/- 4% (P < .001) by simultaneous addition of 10 nmol/L unlabeled T3, whereas 1 mumol/L T3S was required to obtain a reduction of the [125I]T3 uptake by 34% +/- 2% (P < .001). The amount of T3 present in the unlabeled T3S preparation was 0.25% as determined by radioimmunoassay. When pituitary cells were incubated for 1 hour with [125I]T3S or [125I]T3 (both 50,000 cpm/0.25 mL), the uptake of [125I]T3S expressed as a percentage of the dose was 0.04% +/- 0.02% (mean +/- SE, n = 4), whereas that of [125I]T3 amounted to 3.0% +/- 0.4% (n = 4). In contrast, when hepatocytes were incubated for 1 hour with [125I]T3S, the uptake amounted to 5.1% +/- 0.8% (n = 9), whereas that of [125I]T3 was 22.1% +/- 1.7% (n = 9).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Transport of thyroxine into cultured hepatocytes: effects of mild non-thyroidal illness and calorie restriction in obese subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Inhibitors of cellular T4 transport leading to diminished plasma T3 production have been identified as 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (CMPF) and indoxyl sulphate in uraemia and bilirubin and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in critically ill patients with hyperbilirubinaemia. We question whether other factors are responsible for the altered thyroid hormone parameters observed in mild illness and during calorie restriction. PATIENTS: We studied (i) 18 non-uraemic patients with non-thyroidal illness (NTI) (T4 > or = 60, T3 < or = 1.1 and rT3 > or = 0.45 nmol/l) with serum molar ratios of bilirubin:albumin < or = 0.17 and NEFA:albumin < or = 2.6. These molar ratios have been shown to be the minimum ratios which inhibited T4 transport into rat hepatocytes; (ii) four obese euthyroid subjects on 600 kcal/day for 10-14 days. This diet is known to inhibit the unidirectional T4 transport into human liver in vivo. MEASUREMENTS: We measured iodide production from 125I-T4 by incubating rat hepatocytes with 10% human serum. The deiodination of T4 was used as an index of cellular transport of T4 in vivo. RESULTS: The mean iodide production from 125I-T4 by rat hepatocytes in the presence of 10% serum from NTI patients (98 +/- 17%, mean +/- SD) was not significantly different from the normals (100 +/- 9%). Calorie restriction in euthyroid obese subjects resulted in a small but significant reduction (-12%) of iodide production. Calorie restriction increased the total serum NEFA by 91%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that CMPF, indoxyl sulphate, bilirubin and NEFA are not responsible for the inhibition of T4 tissue uptake in patients with mild illness. In addition, studies with calorie restricted obese subjects indicate that high concentration of NEFA during calorie restriction inhibits T4 tissue uptake. This inhibition may partly explain the lower plasma T3 during calorie restriction.

Bilirubin

Different effects of amiodarone on transport of T4 and T3 into the perfused rat liver.

Uptake and metabolism of thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) were studied in isolated perfused livers of control and amiodarone-treated rats (40 mg.kg body wt-1.day-1, 22 days). With the use of this perfusion system and a two-pool model describing thyroid hormone kinetics, total uptake was evaluated by the half-time (t1/2) of the fast component of the biphasic thyroid hormone disappearance from the medium and by the fractional influx rate constant (k21). Metabolism was assessed by the t1/2 of the slow component, by determination of breakdown products in medium and bile, and by thyroid hormone disposal according to the two-pool model. Disposal was corrected for differences in mass transfer into the metabolizing pool. In amiodarone-treated rats, both uptake and metabolism of T4 were decreased. Furthermore, it was shown that only transport into the metabolizing liver compartment and not uptake into the nonmetabolizing liver compartment was decreased. Both uptake and total metabolism of T3 were unaffected by amiodarone. The results showed that the different transport systems for T4 and T3 described in isolated rat hepatocytes may also be operative in the intact rat liver. Furthermore, it can be concluded that the low-T3 syndrome, caused by treatment with amiodarone, may be due to both impaired transport and impaired 5'-deiodination.

Amiodarone