triiodothyronine--reverse and 2-aminobicyclo(2-2-1)heptane-2-carboxylic-acid

Adipocytes are an important target tissue for thyroid hormone action, but little is known of the mechanisms of thyroid hormone entry into the cells. The present results show a strong interaction between transport of iodothyronines [L-thyroxine (T4), L-triiodothyronine (T3), reverse T3 (rT3)], aromatic amino acids, and the System L amino acid transport inhibitor 2-amino[2,2,1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH) in white adipocytes. System L appears to be a major pathway of iodothyronine and large neutral amino acid entry into these cells in the euthyroid state. We also demonstrate expression of the CD98hc peptide subunit of the System L transporter in adipocyte cell membranes. Experimental hypothyroidism (28-day propylthiouracil treatment) has no significant effect on System L-like transport of the amino acid tryptophan in adipocytes. In contrast, uptake of T3 and especially T4 is substantially reduced in adipocytes from hypothyroid rats, partly due to reduction of the BCH-sensitive transport component. Transport of iodothyronines and amino acids in adipocytes therefore becomes decoupled in the hypothyroid state, as occurs similarly in liver cells. This may be due to downregulation or dissociation of iodothyronine receptors from the System L transporter complex. Regulation of iodothyronine turnover in fat cells by this type of mechanism could contribute significantly to modulation of T4-T3/rT3 metabolism in the hypothyroid state.

Topics: Adipocytes; Amino Acids, Cyclic; Animals; Antigens, CD; Biological Transport; Carrier Proteins; Desipramine; Fusion Regulatory Protein-1; Hypothyroidism; Male; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reference Values; Thyroxine; Triiodothyronine; Triiodothyronine, Reverse; Tryptophan

The uptake of tri-iodothyronine (T(3)) in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes was investigated and compared with the uptake of reverse T(3 )(rT(3)) and thyroxine (T(4)). Cellular compartmentalization of T(3) was studied by distinguishing T(3) activity associated with the plasma membrane from that in the cytosol or incorporated in the cell nucleus. T(3) and T(4) uptake displayed similar temperature dependencies which, in magnitude, differed from that of rT(3) uptake. T(3) uptake was Na(+ )independent, and sensitive to oligomycin and monodansylcadaverine (42-49% and 25% inhibition of 15-min cellular uptake respectively). Furthermore, T(3) uptake could be inhibited by tryptophan (20%) and tyrosine (12%), while 2-aminobicyclo[2,2,1]heptane-carboxylic acid had no effect. Co-incubation with tryptophan and oligomycin resulted in an additive inhibition of T(3) uptake (77%). We therefore conclude that (i) T(3) uptake is energy dependent, (ii) receptor-mediated endocytosis may be involved and (iii) the aromatic amino acid transport system T may play a role, while system L is not involved in T(3) transport in cardiomyocytes. Co-incubation with unlabeled iodothyronines showed that 3,3'-di-iodothyronine and T(3) itself were the most effective inhibitors of T(3) uptake (30% and 36% inhibition of 15-min cellular uptake respectively). At 15-min incubation time, 38% of the total cell-associated T(3) was present in the cytosol and nucleus, and 62% remained associated to the plasma membrane. Unidirectional uptake rates did not saturate over a free T(3) concentration range up to 3.9 microM. We have concluded that T(3) uptake in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes occurs by an energy- and temperature-dependent mechanism that may include endocytosis and amino acid transport system T, and is not sensitive to the Na(+) gradient. Elucidation of the molecular basis for the T(3) transporter is the subject of current investigation.

Topics: Amino Acids; Amino Acids, Cyclic; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Biological Transport; Cadaverine; Cell Membrane; Cell Nucleus; Cells, Cultured; Cytosol; Diiodothyronines; Endocytosis; Female; Male; Models, Animal; Myocardium; Oligomycins; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Regression Analysis; Thyroxine; Triiodothyronine; Triiodothyronine, Reverse; Tryptophan; Tyrosine