Effects of Irradiation and Semistarvation on Rat Thyrotropin Beta SubunitMessenger Ribonucleic Acid, Pituitary Thyrotropin Content, and Thyroid Hormone Levels

摘要

The effect of radiation-induced anorexia on serum thyrotropin (TSH), pituitaryTSH-beta mRNA, pituitary TSH content, serum thyroxine (T4), and serum 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) was investigated using feed-matched controls. Rats received 10 Gy gamma whole-body irradiation and were examined 1-3 days postirradiation. Feed-matched and untreated controls were also studied. The average food intake of the irradiated and feed-matched groups was approximately 18% of the untreated controls. Over the three day period both the irradiated and feed-matched groups lost a significant amount of body weight. The serum T4 levels of both the irradiated and feed-matched groups were not significantly different from each other, but were significantly depressed when compared to the untreated control group. The serum TSH and T3 were, however, significantly greater in the irradiated than the feed-matched groups at day 3 posttreatment. To determine if the difference in the serum TSH level between the two groups was due to a pretranslational alteration in TSH production, we measured the TSH-beta mRNA using an RNA blot hybridization assay.