title: Rat liver microsomal UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity toward thyroxine: characterization, induction, and form specificity.
abstract: Glucuronidation of thyroxine (T4) by liver microsomal UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDP-GT) is a predominant pathway by which T4 is deactivated. This study was conducted to characterize in vitro T4 UDP-GT activity in rat liver microsomal preparations, to determine if T4 glucuronidation is mediated by a particular form of UDP-GT, and to determine if T4 glucuronidation can be increased by microsomal enzyme inducers. Characterization of microsomal T4 UDP-GT activity led to the establishment of optimal assay conditions. UDP-GT activity toward T4 was determined in hepatic microsomal preparations from Wistar and Gunn rats, a mutant strain of Wistar rats deficient in several forms of UDP-GT. Hepatic microsomal preparations from Gunn rats glucuronidated T4 at one-third the rate catalyzed by microsomal preparations from Wistar rats. To determine the effect of four inducers that each increase a separate class of UDP-GT, phenobarbital (PB), 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC), pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN), clofibrate (CLO), saline, or corn oil was administered to male Sprague-Dawley rats ip for 4 days. T4 UDP-GT activity was increased by PB, 3MC, PCN, and CLO 88, 150, 100, and 160%, respectively on a per-milligram-microsomal-protein basis and 138, 125, 100, and 145% on a per-kilogram-body-weight basis, respectively. Therefore, all four classes of UDP-GT inducers increase T4 glucuronidation, suggesting that T4 is not a selective substrate for a particular form of UDP-GT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66103.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Barter
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Klaassen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000032:analysis; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005965:Glucuronates; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; C054785:thyroxine glucuronide; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; D013974:Thyroxine