T3 Sulfate Research Articles

Studies on the biological activity of triiodothyronine sulfate.

Hepatic microsomes and isolated hepatocytes in short term culture desulfate T3 sulfate (T3SO4). We, therefore, wished to determine whether T3SO4 could mimic the action of thyroid hormone in vitro. T3SO4 had no thyromimetic effect on the activity of Ca(2+)-ATPase in human erythrocyte membranes at doses up to 10,000 times the maximally effective dose of T3 (10(-10) mol/L). In GH4C1 pituitary cells, T3SO4 failed to displace [125I]T3 from nuclear receptors in intact cells or soluble preparations. Thus, T3SO4 was not directly thyromimetic in either an isolated human membrane system or a pituitary cell system in which nuclear receptor occupancy correlates with GH synthesis. Thyroid hormones inhibit [3H]glycosaminoglycan synthesis by cultured human dermal fibroblasts, and T3SO4 displayed about 0.5% the activity of T3 at 72 h. Human fibroblasts contained roughly the same level of microsomal p-nitrophenyl sulfatase activity as that previously observed in hepatic microsomes. Propylthiouracil (50 mumol/L) did not affect the action of T3SO4, suggesting that deiodination was not important for this activity of T3SO4. Thus, it appears T3SO4 has no intrinsic biological activity, but, under certain circumstances, may be reactivated by desulfation.

Transport of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine into the perfused rat liver and subsequent metabolism are inhibited by fasting.

The effects of 48-h fasting on transport of T3 and subsequent metabolism in the isolated perfused rat liver were investigated. Tracer T3 disappearance curves from the recirculating medium consisted of a fast component (FC) and a slow component (SC). Using a two-compartment model, both transport [expressed as the fractional transport rate constant from medium to liver (k21)] and disposal of T3 were calculated. After fasting, k21, total metabolism, and metabolism corrected for differences in mass transfer were diminished, pointing to both decreased transport and metabolism, presumably caused by depletion of liver ATP. Concerning transport, it was shown that only transport into the intracellular liver compartment and not transport to the extracellular liver compartment was decreased after fasting. As for metabolism, T3 glucuronidation was diminished; T3 sulfation and subsequent deiodination were not affected. All mentioned decreased parameters normalized after the addition of a combination of insulin, cortisol, and/or glucose to the medium, possibly by (partially) restoration of cellular energy stores.

Development and Use of a Mathematical Two-Pool Model of Distribution and Metabolism of 3,3′,5-Triiodothyronine in a Recirculating Rat Liver Perfusion System: Albumin Does not Play a Role in Cellular Transport*

To describe the T3 kinetics in a recirculating rat liver perfusion system, we have developed a mathematical two-pool model consisting of medium and liver. It appeared that all parameters of the model could be fully resolved by using the time-dependent disappearance of radioactive T3 (2 nM) from the medium only. The model calculates the T3 medium pool, the T3 liver pool, and the amount of hormone metabolized at different times after the start of the perfusion. To check the validity of the model, metabolism was also estimated from the appearance of labeled metabolites (glucuronides, sulfates, and I-) in the medium and the cumulative excretion of T3 and metabolites into the bile. The medium pool was also estimated by the product of medium volume and remaining T3 concentration, and the liver pool as the amount of T3 at time zero minus medium pool minus T3 metabolized). These results were in excellent agreement with the predicted values from the model. Taking the metabolites appearing in medium and bile together, about 38% of the total amount of T3 metabolized during 60 min was converted into T3 glucuronide, 12% into T3 sulfate, and 48% into I-, respectively, while about 3% was excreted in the bile unaltered. The results show that not all T3 transported to the liver is being metabolized, but part is bound outside the cellular compartment. This latter pool of T3 is dependent on the albumin concentration in the medium. The amount of T3 metabolized is solely determined by the free T3 concentration and is independent of total T3 or albumin concentration in the medium.

Enterohepatic circulation of triiodothyronine (T3) in rats: importance of the microflora for the liberation and reabsorption of T3 from biliary T3 conjugates.

In normal rats, T3 glucuronide (T3G) is the major biliary T3 metabolite, but excretion of T3 sulfate (T3S) is greatly increased after inhibition of type I deiodinase, e.g. with 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU). In this study, the fate of the T3 conjugates excreted with bile was studied to assess the significance of a putative enterohepatic circulation of T3 in rats. Conventional (CV) or intestine-decontaminated (ID) rats received iv [125I]T3G or [125I]T3S, the latter usually after pretreatment with PTU (1 mg/100 g BW). Radioactivity in plasma and bile or feces was analyzed by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and HPLC. Within 1 h, 88% of injected T3G was excreted in bile of CV or ID rats, independent of PTU. About 75% of the injected T3S was excreted within 4 h in PTU-treated rats, in contrast to only 20% in controls. Up to 13 h after iv administration of T3G or T3S (+PTU) to intact ID and CV rats, fecal radioactivity consisted of more than 90% T3 in all CV rats, 95% of T3S in T3S-injected ID rats, and 30% T3 and 67% T3G in T3G-injected ID rats. In overnight-fasted CV rats injected with T3G, total plasma radioactivity rapidly declined until a nadir of 0.10% dose/ml at about 2.5 h, but radioactivity reappeared with a broad maximum of 0.12% dose/ml between 5.5-10 h. In the latter phase, plasma radioactivity consisted of predominantly I- and T3 in a ratio of 2:1. Reabsorption was diminished in fed CV rats and prevented in ID rats. Plasma T3 4-10 h after iv T3G injection to overnight-fasted CV rats was 12, 2, and 3 times higher than that in bile-diverted rats, fed CV rats, and ID rats, respectively, and similar to that 4 h after the injection of T3 itself. Total plasma radioactivity as well as plasma T3 6-13 h after iv administration T3S in PTU-treated rats were significantly increased in CV vs. ID rats, e.g. T3 0.016% vs. 0.005% dose/ml. These results demonstrate a significant enterohepatic circulation of T3 in rats in which bacterial hydrolysis of T3 conjugates excreted with bile plays an important role.

Effects of propylthiouracil on the biliary clearance of thyroxine (T4) in rats: decreased excretion of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine glucuronide and increased excretion of 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine glucuronide and T4 sulfate.

The liver metabolizes T4 by deiodination and conjugation to T4 glucuronide (T4G), but little information exists about the formation of T4 sulfate (T4S) in vivo. We have examined the excretion of T4G, T4S, T3 and rT3 glucuronide (T3G and rT3G) in bile, collected under pentobarbital anesthesia 0-8 h or 17-18 h after iv [125I]T4 injection to control and 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU)-treated rats. Radioactivity in bile, plasma, feces, and urine was analyzed by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and HPLC. PTU induced a 2-fold increase in the biliary excretion of total radioactivity (26.6% vs. 15.0% dose between 0-8 h; 2.0% vs. 1.0% dose between 17-18 h). Biliary metabolites, 17-18 h after T4 injection, in control vs. PTU rats amounted to (percent dose): T4G, 0.44 vs. 0.75; T3G, 0.19 vs. 0.07; rT3G, 0.02 vs. 0.15; and T4S, 0.06 vs. 0.32. Similar results were obtained for control rats when bile was collected between 7-8 h after iv T4. The excretion rate of T3G was lower and that of rT3G higher when bile was continuously collected for 8 h immediately after T4 administration, probably due to prolonged experimental stress. However, regardless of the period of bile collection, PTU induced a more than 24-fold decrease in the T3G/rT3G ratio and a 5-fold increase in T4S excretion. In the animals killed 18 h after T4 injection, PTU treatment increased plasma T4 retention by 50%, reduced urinary I- excretion by 74%, and increased fecal radioactivity by 47%. No conjugates were detected in feces, and the distribution of fecal T4:T3:rT3 was 70:18:2 in control and 68:7:6 in PTU-treated rats. The results indicate that 1) the glucuronidative clearance of T4 is not affected by PTU; 2) the T3G/rT3G ratio in bile is a sensitive indicator of type I deiodinase inhibition; 3) T4 undergoes significant sulfation in rats in vivo, and 4) biliary excretion of T4S is enhanced if its type I deiodination is inhibited.

Metabolism of triiodothyronine in rat hepatocytes.

The metabolism of T3 by isolated rat hepatocytes was analyzed by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography, HPLC, and RIA for T3 sulfate (T3S) and 3,3'-diiodothyronine (3,3'-T2). Type I iodothyronine deiodinase activity was inhibited with propylthiouracil (PTU), and phenol sulfotransferase activity by SO4(2-) depletion or with competitive substrates or inhibitors. Under normal conditions, labeled T3 glucuronide and I- were the main products of [3'-125I]T3 metabolism. Iodide production was decreased by inhibition (PTU) or saturation (greater than 100 nM T3) of type I deiodinase, which was accompanied by the accumulation of T3S and 3,3'-T2S. Inhibition of phenol sulfotransferase resulted in decreased iodide production, which was associated with an accumulation of 3,3'-T2 and 3,3'-T2 glucuronide, independent of PTU. Formation of 3,3'-T2 and its conjugates was only observed at T3 substrate concentrations below 10 nM. Thus, T3 is metabolized in rat liver cells by three quantitatively important pathways: glucuronidation, sulfation, and direct inner ring deiodination. Whereas T3 glucuronide is not further metabolized in the cultures, T3S is rapidly deiodinated by the type I enzyme. As confirmed by incubations with isolated rat liver microsomes, direct inner ring deiodination of T3 is largely mediated by a low Km, PTU-insensitive, type III-like iodothyronine deiodinase, and production of 3,3'-T2 is only observed if its rapid sulfation is prevented.

Serum Triiodothyronine Sulfate in Man Measured by Radioimmunoassay

In humans deiodination and perhaps glucuronidation are important pathways of thyroid hormone metabolism. In animals, sulfation plays an important role in T4 and especially in T3 metabolism, but little is known about sulfate conjugation of thyroid hormone in humans. In this study we used a specific T3 sulfate (T3S) RIA to address this question. Eight normal subjects were given oral T3 (1 microgram/day.kg BW) for 7 weeks. During the fifth week they also received propylthiouracil (PTU; four doses of 250 mg/day) for 2 days and during the seventh week iopanoic acid (IOP; 1 g/day) for 3 days. The mean pre-T3 serum iodothyronine values were: T4, 92 +/- 6 (+/- SE) nmol/L; rT3, 0.24 +/- 0.02 nmol/L; T3, 2.30 +/- 0.10 nmol/L; and T3S, less than 0.1 nmol/L (at or below the detection limit of the RIA). After 4 weeks of T3 administration the mean serum values were: T4, 39 +/- 6; rT3, 0.11 +/- 0.01; T3, 5.31 +/- 0.39; and T3S, 0.10 +/- 0.01 nmol/L. After 2 days of PTU administration, mean serum T4 increased to 48 +/- 7 (P less than 0.005), rT3 to 0.20 +/- 0.03 (P less than 0.025), and T3S to 0.13 +/- 0.01 nmol/L (P = NS), but serum T3 did not change (4.91 +/- 0.35 nmol/L). The effect of IOP was more pronounced; after its administration for 3 days the mean serum T4 was 49 +/- 8 (P less than 0.001), rT3 was 0.48 +/- 0.09 (P less than 0.005), and T3S was 0.29 +/- 0.04 nmol/L (P less than 0.005), and serum T3 decreased to 3.95 +/- 0.25 nmol/L (P less than 0.005). The T3S/T3 ratio was increased by PTU from 0.018 +/- 0.003 to 0.024 +/- 0.004 (P less than = NS) and by IOP to 0.055 +/- 0.007 (P less than 0.005). In conclusion, 1) serum T3S is virtually undetectable (less than 0.1 nmol/L) in normal subjects; 2) low serum T3S concentrations are detected in humans given T3; 3) serum T3S in T3-treated subjects is increased by inhibition of type I deiodinase activity with PTU and especially IOP; and 4) in comparison with previous estimates of the serum T3S/T3 ratio in rats, the low ratio in humans may indicate that sulfation is not an important mechanism of T3 metabolism in humans and/or the kinetics of plasma T3 and T3S differ in humans and rats.

Increased plasma 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine sulfate in rats with inhibited type I iodothyronine deiodinase activity, as measured by radioimmunoassay.

In contrast to the glucuronide conjugate, T3 sulfate (T3S) undergoes rapid deiodinative degradation in the liver and accumulates in rats and rat hepatocyte cultures if type I iodothyronine deiodinase activity is inhibited. We here report the RIA of plasma T3S in rats treated with the antithyroid drugs propylthiouracil (PTU) or methimazole (MMI), of which only PTU inhibits type I deiodinase. Male Wistar rats were treated acutely by ip injection with 1 mg PTU or MMI/100 g BW and subsequently for 4 days by twice daily injections with these drugs together with 0.5 microgram T4 or 0.25 microgram T3/100 g BW. Blood was obtained 4 h after the last injection, and plasma T4, rT3, T3, and T3S were determined by RIA and compared with pretreatment values. Serum concentrations (mean +/- SEM; nanomoles per liter) in untreated rats were: T4, 51 +/- 1; T3, 1.37 +/- 0.03; T3S, 0.09 +/- 0.01; and rT3, 0.03 +/- 0.002. Serum T3 was decreased, and T3S and rT3 were increased by acute PTU treatment [T3, 1.16 +/- 0.05 (P less than 0.01); T3S, 0.33 +/- 0.04 (P less than 0.001); rT3, 0.27 +/- 0.02 (P less than 0.001)], but unaffected by acute MMI treatment (T3, 1.37 +/- 0.05; T3S, 0.09 +/- 0.01; rT3, 0.02 +/- 0.003). In T4-treated rats, serum T3 was decreased and T4, T3S, and rT3 were increased by PTU vs. MMI [T4, 86 +/- 5 vs. 58 +/- 4 (P less than 0.001); T3, 0.51 +/- 0.07 vs. 0.88 +/- 0.06 (P less than 0.001); T3S, 0.38 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.12 +/- 0.01 (P less than 0.001); rT3, 0.86 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.08 +/- 0.01 (P less than 0.005)]. In T3-substituted rats T3S was increased by PTU vs. MMI (1.09 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.25 +/- 0.03; P less than 0.001). The T3S/T3 ratio in the PTU-treated T3 -replaced rats (0.60 +/- 0.09) was in agreement with that determined by HPLC of serum radioactivity in animals that in addition to this treatment also received about 10 microCi [125I]T3 with the last two injections (0.92 +/- 0.13). In conclusion, this investigation demonstrates the feasibility of the measurement of serum T3S by RIA. Our findings confirm previous observations with radioactive isotopes, suggesting that sulfation is an important pathway for the metabolism of T3 in rats. Analogous to rT3, the accumulation of T3S in PTU-treated rats indicates that this conjugate is metabolized predominantly by type I deiodination.

Triiodothyronine: A Substrate for the Thermostable and Thermolabile Forms of Human Phenol Sulfotransferase*

The enzyme(s) responsible for the sulfate conjugation of L-T3 in man has not been characterized. T3 sulfotransferase (T3-ST) activity was characterized in normal human liver tissue obtained during clinically indicated surgical resection. Subcellular distribution studies showed that the T3-ST activity was localized to the cytoplasmic fraction. This finding raised the possibility that T3-ST activity might be similar to the 2 previously identified forms of cytoplasmic phenol sulfotransferase (PST) found in human tissue. A thermostable (TS) form of PST catalyzes the sulfate conjugation of micromolar concentrations of p-nitrophenol, and a thermolabile (TL) form catalyzes the sulfate conjugation of dopamine and other monoamines. Thermal stability and enzyme inhibitor experiments showed that T3-ST activity in pooled liver homogenates was very similar to the TS form of PST. The apparent similarity of T3-ST to TS PST was studied further by measuring T3-ST, TS PST, and TL PST activities in 20 individual liver samples. T3-ST activities correlated significantly with TS PST activities (r = 0.939; P less than 0.001) measured with p-nitrophenol, but not with TL PST activities (r = -0.118; P greater than 0.6) measured with dopamine. However, sulfation of T3 by the TL form of the enzyme might have been masked by the 18-fold higher specific activity of TS than TL PST in human liver homogenates. When the two forms of PST were separated by ion exchange chromatography, T3 was found to be a substrate for both the TS and TL forms of PST. "True" Km values for T3 were similar for TS and TL PST (81 and 127 microM, respectively).

Desulfation of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine sulfate by microsomes from human and rat tissues.

Subcellular preparations from rat liver, brain, and kidney and from human liver were tested for their ability to desulfate T3 sulfate (T3SO4). Activity was found associated with the microsomal fraction: rat liver was the most active, hydrolyzing 76 pmol/min.mg protein of T3SO4 while preparations from rat kidney and brain were about 1/5 and 1/20 as active. Microsomal preparations from human liver obtained at autopsy were as active as fresh rat preparations. Thyroxine sulfate was not an active substrate. Microsomes prepared with dithiothreitol and EDTA in order to detect deiodinating activity maintained T3SO4-desulfating activity. Cytosolic preparations containing arylsulfatase activities failed to desulfate T3SO4. Estrone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and nitrophenyl sulfate are known substrates for microsome-associated arylsulfatase activities, and these compounds were found to inhibit hydrolysis of T3SO4 to various extents. Of these competing sulfatase substrates, only dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate inhibits T3SO4 desulfation completely. In order to determine whether desulfation occurs in intact cells, isolated hepatocytes were incubated in the presence of 7 and 54 microM T3SO4. These cells were found to hydrolyze 1-1.5% of the sulfate ester/h for up to 3 h. The demonstration of this activity raises the possibility that these hepatic cells may be able to reactivate T3SO4, which has generally been regarded as an irreversibly inactivated metabolite.

Effects of inhibition of type I iodothyronine deiodinase and phenol sulfotransferase on the biliary clearance of triiodothyronine in rats.

Recent studies using isolated rat hepatocytes have indicated that the bioactive form of thyroid hormone, T3, is metabolized in liver predominantly by conjugation with glucuronic acid or sulfate. In contrast to T3 itself and the stable glucuronide, T3 sulfate is rapidly degraded by successive deiodination of the tyrosyl and phenolic rings. In the present study we have investigated the biliary excretion of T3 metabolites in male Wistar rats under pentobarbital anesthesia. The animals were injected iv with 1) saline, 2) the deiodinase inhibitor propylthiouracil (PTU; 1 mg/100 g BW), 3) the phenol sulfotransferase inhibitor dichloronitrophenol (2.6 mumol/100 g BW), or 4) a combination of both drugs. After 15 min, 10 muCi [125I]T3 were administered iv, and bile was collected for 30-min periods until 4 h after tracer injection. Secretory products were analyzed by HPLC. In control animals, 22.4% of the dose was excreted in bile mainly in the form of T3 glucuronide. In PTU-treated rats biliary excretion was increased to 36.0% of the dose (P less than .001) due to a dramatic increase in the sulfates of T3 and 3,3'-diiodothyronine. Dichloronitrophenol by itself had no effect on the biliary clearance of T3, but greatly inhibited PTU-induced excretion of sulfates. These results strongly suggest that sulfation and subsequent deiodination is an important pathway of T3 metabolism in vivo.

Metabolism of reverse triiodothyronine by isolated rat hepatocytes.

Reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) is metabolized predominantly by outer ring deiodination to 3,3'-diiodothyronine (3,3'-T2) in the liver. Metabolism of rT3 and 3,3'-T2 by isolated rat hepatocytes was analyzed by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, and radioimmunoassay, with closely agreeing results. Deiodinase activity was inhibited with propylthiouracil (PTU) and sulfotransferase activity by sulfate depletion or addition of salicylamide or dichloronitrophenol. Normally, little 3,3'-T2 production from rT3 was observed, and 125I- was the main product of both 3,[3'-125I]T2 and [3',5'-125I]rT3. PTU inhibited rT3 metabolism but did not affect 3,3'-T2 clearance as explained by accumulation of 3,3'-T2 sulfate. Inhibition of sulfation did not affect rT3 clearance but 3,3'-T2 metabolism was greatly diminished. The decrease in I- formation from rT3 was compensated by an increased recovery of 3,3'-T2 up to 70% of rT3 metabolized. In conclusion, significant production of 3,3'-T2 from rT3 by rat hepatocytes is only observed if further sulfation is inhibited.

Preparation and Separation of the Glucuronide and Sulfate Conjugates of Thyroxine and Triiodothyronine

An enzymatic method for synthesis of labelled thyroxine glucuronide (T4G) and triiodothyronine glucuronide (T3G) from labelled thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) is presented. The synthetic glucuronides are completely digested by beta-glucuronidase, with recovery of the parent T4 or T3. They have distinctive elution patterns on HPLC and on Sephadex G25 chromatography, and can be clearly separated from T4 and T3 as well as from synthetic T4 sulfate (T4S) and T3 sulfate (T3S). On LH 20 chromatography, elution of T4G and T3G is intermediate between that of T4 and T3 and that of T4S and T3S. T3G can be well separated from other thyronines by HPLC alone, but T4G coelutes with rT3 on HPLC; these are then separated by adding a Sephadex G25 chromatography step. Biosynthetic 131I-T3G and 125I-T4G from the bile of a cat given 131I-T3 and 125I-T4 had similar HPLC chromatographic patterns to those of synthetic T3G and T4G. That the identified peaks from analysis of the bile were indeed T3G and T4G was confirmed by recovery of the parent T3 and T4 after beta-glucuronidase digestion.

Rapid and selective inner ring deiodination of thyroxine sulfate by rat liver deiodinase.

Previous studies have shown that the inner ring deiodination (IRD) of T3 and the outer ring deiodination (ORD) of 3,3'-diiodothyronine are greatly enhanced by sulfate conjugation. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of sulfation on T4 and rT3 deiodination. Iodothyronine sulfate conjugates were chemically synthetized. Deiodination was studied by reaction of rat liver microsomes with unlabeled or outer ring 125I-labeled sulfate conjugate at 37 C and pH 7.2 in the presence of 5 mM dithiothreitol. Products were analyzed by HPLC or after hydrolysis by specific RIAs. T4 sulfate (T4S) was rapidly degraded by IRD to rT3S, with an apparent Km of 0.3 microM and a maximum velocity (Vmax) of 530 pmol/min X mg protein. The Vmax to Km ratio of T4S IRD was increased 200-fold compared with that of T4 IRD. However, formation of T3S by ORD of T4S could not be observed. The rT3S formed was rapidly converted by ORD to 3,3'-T2 sulfate, with an apparent Km of 0.06 microM and a Vmax of 516 pmol/min X mg protein. The enzymic mechanism of the IRD of T4S was the same as that of the deiodination of nonsulfated iodothyronines, as shown by the kinetics of stimulation by dithiothreitol or inhibition by propylthiouracil. The IRD of T4S and the ORD of rT3 were equally affected by a number of competitive inhibitors, suggesting a single enzyme for the deiodination of native and sulfated iodothyronines. In conjunction with previous findings on the deiodination of T3S, these results suggest that sulfation leads to a rapid and irreversible inactivation of thyroid hormone.

Metabolism of 3,3'-diiodothyronine in rat hepatocytes: interaction of sulfation with deiodination.

Production of 3,3'-diiodothyronine (3,3'-T2) is an important step in the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormone in man. The rapid clearance of 3,3'-T2 is accomplished to a large extent in the liver. We have studied in detail the mechanisms of this process using monolayers of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. After incubation with 3,[3'-125I]T2, chromatographic analysis of the medium revealed two major metabolic routes: outer ring deiodination and sulfation. We recently demonstrated that sulfate conjugation precedes and in effect accelerates deiodination of 3,3'-T2. In media containing different serum concentrations the cellular clearance rate was determined by the nonprotein-bound fraction of 3,3'-T2. At substrate concentrations below 10(-8) M 125I- was the main product observed. At higher concentrations deiodination became saturated, and 3,3'-T2 sulfate (T2S) accumulated in the medium. Saturation of 3,3'-T2 clearance was found to occur only at very high (greater than 10(-6)M) substrate concentrations. The sulfating capacity of the cells exceeded that of deiodination by at least 20-fold. Deiodination was completely inhibited by 10(-4) M propylthiouracil or thiouracil, resulting in the accumulation of T2S while clearance of 3,3'-T2 was little affected. No effect was seen with methimazole. Hepatocytes from 72-h fasted rats showed a significant reduction of deiodination but unimpaired sulfation. Other iodothyronines interfered with 3,3'-T2 metabolism. Deiodination was strongly inhibited by 2 microM T4 and rT3 (80%) but little by T3 (15%), whereas the clearance of 3,3'-T2 was reduced by 27% (T4 and rT3) and 12% (T3). It is concluded that the rapid hepatic clearance of 3,3'-T2 is determined by the sulfate-transferring capacity of the liver cells. Subsequent outer ring deiodination of the intermediate T2S is inhibited by propylthiouracil and by fasting, essentially without an effect on overall 3,3'-T2 clearance.

Conjugates of triodothyronine and its metabolites.

Compounds a and b, previously described as major metabolites formed in the dog from 3,5,3′-I131 triiodothyronine (T3), have been identified by enzymatic and chromatographic technics as T3 sulfate and 3,3′ T2 sulfate. These sulfoconjugates occur together in the bile in amounts equal to or greater than that of T3 glucuronide; and with a third, but unidentified, sulfate they account for 90% of the I131 excreted in the urine by the dehepatized dog after the injection of radioactive T3. The major metabolite of T3 in blood and urine of the dehepatized dog is 3,3% T2 sulfate. Deiodination of T3 by extrahepatic tissues is extensive, but it involves chiefly the removal of iodine (nonradioactive in the compound given) from the benzene ring with the alanine side chain, and to a very limited extent, the I131 from the phenolic ring.