Rescue from dwarfism by thyroid function compensation in rdw rats.
The rdw rat was initially reported as having hereditary dwarfism caused by pituitary dysfunction. Subsequent studies on the rdw rat, however, have demonstrated that the primary cause of rdw dwarfism is present in the thyroid gland but not in the pituitary gland. The primary cause of rdw rat disorders is a missense mutation of the thyroglobulin (Tg) gene by a one-point mutation. In the present study, we attempted to rescue the dwarfism of the rdw rats using a diet supplemented with thyroid powder (T-powder) and a thyroid graft (T-graft). The infants of the rdw rat were successfully raised to a mature stage body weight, accompanied by elevation of serum growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL), by the T-powder. Furthermore, the T-graft successfully increased the body weight with fertility. The serum GH and PRL levels in the T-graft rdw rat significantly increased. The serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the T-graft rdw rat were significantly decreased but were significantly higher than those in the control rat. The GH and PRL mRNA expression in the rdw rat with the T-graft was virtually the same as that of the control, but the TSH beta mRNA differed from that of the control rats. Thus, the dwarfism in the rdw rat is rescued by thyroid function compensation, such as that afforded by T-powder and T-graft.
Furudate
Sen-ichi
S
Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kitasato, Kanagawa, Japan.
Ono
Masao
M
Shibayama
Keiko
K
Ohyama
Yoshihide
Y
Kuwada
Masahiro
M
Kimura
Toshimi
T
Kameya
Toru
T
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013962:Thyroid (USP) / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D037322:Thyrotropin, beta Subunit / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D019737:Transplants
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013962:Thyroid (USP); D037322:Thyrotropin, beta Subunit; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone