Feedback regulation of thyrotropin-releasing hormone gene expression by thyroid hormone in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.

Hypothyroidism caused by chemical or surgical thyroidectomy or hypophysectomy causes a substantial increase in the content of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) mRNA and proTRH exclusively in cells of the medial and periventricular paravocellular subdivisions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). This response may be important to raise the anterior pituitary thyrostat to promote increased secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and to induce the secretion of a more biologically active TSH. The increase in TRH mRNA can be obliterated by stereotaxic implants of hormonally active L-triiodothyronine (T3) placed into the anterior hypothalamus but not by implants of the hormonally inactive 3,5'-diiodo-L-thyronine (T2); we therefore suggested that T3 has a direct action on TRH-containing cells of the PVN. Ablation of brainstem catecholaminergic projection fields to the PVN (known to stimulate TRH secretion) has no effect on TRH mRNA expression; beta 1 thyroid hormone receptor mRNA is present in extracts of the PVN. Euthyroid levels of serum T3 in hypothyroid animals achieved via intraperitoneally implanted osmotic minipumps are not associated with a return of PVN levels of TRH mRNA to normal unless circulating T3 levels are raised into the hyperthyroid range (1.7 times normal). This requirement is similar to that needed to normalize nuclear thyroid hormone receptor levels in the anterior pituitary of hypothyroid animals, suggesting that in addition to circulating T3 monodeiodination of T4 to T3 within the brain must also contribute to feedback inhibition of TRH mRNA. As Type II deiodinase activity is absent or very low in the PVN and does not rise with hypothyroidism, we propose that an alternative source for T4 monodeiodination exists within the central nervous system.