Ovine thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) heterologously stimulates production of thyroid hormones from Chinese soft-shell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) and bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana and Rana rugulosa) thyroids in vitro.
Thyroid hormones are important for regulating a variety of developmental processes in vertebrates, including growth, differentiation, metamorphosis, and oxidative metabolism. In particular, this study focused on the in vitro production of thyroxine (T(4)) and triiodothyronine (T(3)) from thyroids in American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), Chinese bullfrogs (Rana rugulosa Wiegmann), and Chinese soft-shell turtles (Pelodiscus sinensis) treated with ovine thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) at different culture intervals (2, 4, 8, and 12 h) and dosages (1, 10, 50 or 100 ng). The levels of T(4) and T(3) in the tested animals were elevated upon stimulation in a time- and dose-dependent manner, indicating de novo synthesis of T(4) and T(3). Significantly higher hormone levels were observed in the Chinese bullfrog compared to the other two species, for both the time-course and dose-response experiments. Although the bullfrog secreted significantly higher levels of T(4) and T(3), a higher T(4)-conversion capacity was found in the Chinese soft-shell turtle. The highest ratios of T(3) to T(4) were observed in the American bullfrog and Chinese soft-shell turtle for the time-course and dose-response experiments, respectively. These findings suggest that the Chinese soft-shell turtle and bullfrog thyroids can accept ovine TSH for T(4)- and T(3)-formation in a time- and dose-dependent manner, supporting the hypothesis that the binding interactions between TSHs and thyroidal receptors are conserved in vertebrates.
Huang
Wei-Tung
WT
Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Da-Yeh University, Chang-Hua 515, Taiwan. kater@mail.dyu.edu.tw <kater@mail.dyu.edu.tw>
Chien
Jung-Tsun
JT
Weng
Ching-Feng
CF
Jeng
Yung-Yue
YY
Lu
Li-Chia
LC
Yu
John Yuh-Lin
JY
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D011898:Ranidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D012756:Sheep; D013045:Species Specificity; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014426:Turtles / Q000378:metabolism*
D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine