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Thyroid hormone influences glucocorticoid receptor levels in the neonatal rat lung

W K Morishige

    Endocrinology
    |September 1, 1982
    PubMed

    Insights

    Thyroid hormone is crucial for lung development in infant rats. It significantly increases the concentration of glucocorticoid receptors in the lung, making the tissue more responsive to these hormones.

    Area of Science:

    • Endocrinology
    • Developmental Biology
    • Pulmonary Medicine

    Background:

    • Glucocorticoid receptors in the neonatal rat lung increase during the first week of life.
    • Thyroid hormone levels also rise during this critical developmental period.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the role of thyroid hormone in regulating the developmental increase of pulmonary glucocorticoid receptors in early postnatal rats.
    • To determine if thyroid hormone directly influences tissue receptivity to glucocorticoids in the developing lung.

    Main Methods:

    • Neonatal rat pups were treated with propylthiouracil to inhibit thyroid function, blocking the normal rise in pulmonary glucocorticoid receptors.
    • Administration of triiodothyronine (T3) was used to assess its effect on receptor levels in hypothyroid pups.

    Main Results:

    • Propylthiouracil treatment abolished the developmental increase in lung glucocorticoid receptor levels.
    • A single dose of triiodothyronine (T3) restored glucocorticoid receptor concentrations to euthyroid levels within 48 hours.

    Conclusions:

    • Thyroid hormone is essential for the normal developmental increase of glucocorticoid receptors in the infant rat lung.
    • Thyroid hormone promotes tissue receptivity to glucocorticoids during lung development.

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