Propylthiouracil Increases Sodium/Iodide Symporter Gene Expression and Iodide Uptake in Rat Thyroid Cells in the Absence of TSH

摘要

BackgroundPropylthiouracil (PTU) and methimazole (MMI) are drugs that are widely used to treat Graves' disease. Although both exert an antithyroid effect primarily by blocking thyroid peroxidase activity, their molecular structure and other actions are different. We hypothesized that PTU and MMI may have differential effects on thyroid-specific gene expression and function.