Alterations in hepatic protein kinase activity induced by triiodothyronine

Quantitative and qualitative alterations in protein kinase (PK) activity in preparations of rat liver from hypothyroid (H) and T3-treated hypothyroid animals (T) were analyzed in comparison to enzyme from normal (N) animals. Qualitative variations in type of protein kinase were assessed by chromatography of cytosol preparations on DE-52 cellulose columns. Cytosol kinases resolved into a small fraction I containing a catalytic subunit, fraction II containing a type 1 holoenzyme, fraction III containing a cyclic-AMP independent PK, and fraction IV containing a type 2 holoenzyme. A cytosolic kinase active with casein as substrate was also identified. In H the type 1 holoenzyme was reduced in comparison to N. There were no other qualitative changes. Nuclear PKs were extracted with solvents containing 0.3 M KCl. Qualitative changes were evaluated by chromatography on phosphocellulose columns, but available methodology did not give reproducible evidence of changes in individual PKs. H had significantly more cytosolic PK active with protamine substrate than did normal animals, and by administration of T3, the H level was reduced progressively over 48 h to the N level. The activation ratio of total PK in cytosol was higher in H, and was also reduced to the N level by T3 administration. This suggests a higher steady state level of cyclic-AMP may be present in H rat liver cytosol. Cytosolic protein kinase reactive with casein as substrate increased gradually over 48 h after T3 administration from the H to the higher N level. It was significantly elevated to 110% of the H value by 48 h after T3 administration. The behavior of nuclear PK was entirely different. Nuclear PK reactive with protamine as substrate was increased within 1-1/2 h after T3 administration, reaching a peak of 130% of the control value at 5 h and returning to the normal level by 48 h. In contrast, nuclear PK reactive with casein as substrate also increased by 1-1/2 h after T3 administration and remained elevated at 110-115% of the control value throughout 48 h after T3 administration. The early changes in nuclear PK activity were prevented by administration of cycloheximide or alpha-amanitin. The observed changes in cytosolic PK, including the increment induced by T3 in type 1 enzyme, reduction in