Developmental changes in regulation of the Na+, K(+)-ATPase alpha 3 isoform by thyroid hormone in ferret heart

Ferret heart expresses the alpha 1- as well as the alpha 3-isoform of the Na+, K(+)-ATPase. We have shown previously that the alpha 3 isoform is differentially upregulated during postnatal cardiac development and that in adult ferrets expression of alpha 3 is not responsive to regulation by thyroid hormone (TH). Since developmental-stage dependent effects of TH have been reported previously, the present study examined whether effects of TH on expression of the Na+, K(+)-ATPase isoforms in ferret heart is modulated during development and possible mechanisms were examined. Ferrets of different age groups were treated with TH and the relative abundance of Na+, K(+)-ATPase isoforms in ferret myocardium was determined by immunoblotting. Thyroid hormone (T3; 50 micrograms/100 g body weight on 3 alternating days, s.c.) increased protein levels of the alpha 3 isoform, but not that of alpha 1 or beta 1, in myocardium of 5-day-old and 3-week-old ferrets. By contrast, in myocardium of 6- and 8-week-old ferrets T3 failed to increase protein levels of alpha 1 and alpha 3. To determine whether elevated plasma levels of TH during development plays a role in the transition, mature ferrets were first made hypothyroid before TH treatment. In these hypothyroid ferrets expression of the alpha 3 isoform remained unresponsive to TH (T4, 0.5 mg/kg for 7 days, s.c.). The transition from TH-responsive to TH-unresponsive appears to be isoform-specific because in skeletal muscle of 8-week-old ferrets and in hypothyroid ferrets the alpha 2 isoform is upregulated by TH. Finally, there appears to be functional thyroid hormone receptors throughout development because in each age group TH effectively induced expression of alpha-MHC in the myocardium. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that expression of alpha 3 isoform in the myocardium of newborn ferret is responsive to TH; however, the responsiveness terminates between 3- and 6-weeks of age. Neither elevated endogenous TH level nor a lack of functional thyroid hormone receptor appears to be responsible for the transition from TH-responsive to TH-unresponsive.