Influence of type II 5' deiodinase on TSH content in diabetic rats

The influence of hypothalamic and pituitary type II 5′ deiodinase (5′D-II) activities and T3 content on pituitary TSH content was investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats (D). The results show, first, that hypothalamic and pituitary 5′D-II activities were lower in neonatal D rats versus control (C) rats, and the normal developmental pattern was altered. Secondly, when D and C rats were thyroidectomized (Tx) at 25 days of age (D+Tx, C+Tx), pituitary and hypothalamic 5′D-II activities increased ten days later in both populationsvs. intact rats, but the percentage of increase was smaller in D+Tx than in C+Tx. The hypothalamic T3 to T4 ratios were also decreased in D+Tx animals (0.38) as compared to C+Tx rats (1.64). The hypothalamic T3 content was reduced by 30% in D as compared to C rats and by 80% in D+Tx as compared to C+Tx rats, showing a defect in hypothalamic T4 deiodination. Pituitary TSH content increased after Tx in D+Tx, but not in C+Tx. These results in diabetic rats indicate that the hypothalamic and pituitary 5′D-II activity and hypothalamic T3 content are affected by diabetes and play a role in the regulation of pituitary TSH content.This work was supported by Dirección General de Investigación, Ministerio de Investigación y Ciericia (Ref. PM07-017), by PISS 99/0813, by CAM (Ref. 08.5/0009/1997 and 08.6/0030/1998) and the Cooperation Franco-Espagnole CNRS/CSIC, 1998.Peer Reviewe