Work

Propylthiouracil inhibits the conversion of l-thyroxine to l-triiodothyronine

Year: 1972

Type: article

Abstract: 6-n-propylthiouracil (PTU) administered to male Sprague-Dawley rats maintained on 2 and 5 mug L-thyroxine (T(4))/100 g body weight resulted in a marked reduction in the rate of conversion of L-thyroxine to L-triiodothyronine (T(3)). These effects could not be ascribed to induced hypothyroidism since the group maintained on 5 mug T(4)/day had normal levels of liver mitochondrial alpha glycerophosphate dehydrogenase. In confirmation of previous studies, PTU also reduced the fractional rate of deiodination of T(3). These observations provide a possible explanation of the many published observations indicating that PTU antagonizes the tissue effects of T(4) but not of T(3). The data suggest that monodeiodination of T(4) but not of T(3) is essential before hormonal effects can be manifested at the cellular level.

Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation

DOI: 10.1172/jci107063

Authors: Jack H. Oppenheimer, Harold L. Schwartz, Martin I. Surks

Institutions: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Thyroid Disorders and Treatments

Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Health Research Council of the City of New York