Thyroid hormone induced changes in cardiac proteins and mRNAs

Contraction of the hypothyroid heart is characterized by delayed diastolic relaxation and decreased velocity of systolic contraction. In order to determine if these alterations could be mediated by the changes in the mRNA coding for the Ca++ ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and alterations of the mRNAs coding for myosin heavy chain (MHC) alpha and beta, the levels of these specific mRNAs were quantitated using a Northern blotting technique. We find that the Ca++ ATPase mRNA was 3-fold lower in hypothyroid hearts. After T3 administration to hypothyroid rats, Ca++ ATPase mRNA increased to 66% of control levels within 2 hrs and to 100% of control levels 5 hrs after T3 administration. In the hypothyroid heart, MHC beta mRNA was the predominant message with MHC alpha mRNA barely detectable. Administration of 2 mg of T3 led to a significant increase in MHC alpha mRNA levels first detectable 2 hrs after T3 administration. Twenty-four hrs after T3 administration, MHC alpha mRNA levels had normalized. The results of these studies indicate that thyroid hormone mediates significant alterations in the level of the mRNA coding for the Ca++ ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and of the mRNAs coding for MHC alpha and beta. Changes in the level of these specific mRNAs resulting in lower levels of the corresponding proteins may explain the delayed diastolic relaxation and the decreased velocity of contraction of the hypothyroid heart.