Effects of triiodothyronine and propylthiouracil on thyroid function and smoltification of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch).

Yearling coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) were fed diets containing triiodothyronine (T3; 4 or 12gmg), propylthiouracil (PTU; 1.5 or 6.0 mg/g), or both T3 (12μg/g) and PTU (1.5 mg/g) from January 10 to May 29. Plasma T4 and T3, concentrations were maintained within normal physiological limits in all groups of treated fish. Increases in plasma thyroxine (T4) occurred in late April in groups receiving the high dose of T3 or PTU, or the combination of T3, and PTU. Peaks of plasma T4 occurred in May in the other groups. Thyroid follicle epithelial cell height was increased in the groups in the following order: highest; PTU (6.0 mg/g), PTU (1.5 mg/g), PTU + T3, control, T3 (4gmg/g), T3 (12μg/g); lowest. In March specific binding of T3 by liver nuclei was not affected by treatment with T3 (12μg/g) but was decreased 30% by treatment with PTU (6.0μg/g). Body growth, food conversion efficiency, and pigmentary changes were increased by T3 (12μg/g), decreased dose-dependently by PTU, and unaffected by the other dietary treatments. All treatments altered body proximate composition. Food consumption and the ability to osmoregulate in seawater were decreased in fish fed 6.0 mg/g PTU, but were unaffected by the other dietary treatments. These results suggest that during smoltification: 1) Thyroid hormones may be involved in control of thyroidal function and body growth and pigmentary changes, 2) Hypo-osmoregulatory competence is not further stimulated by exogenous T3 and 3) PTU does not block T4 synthesis but may block T3, action by interfering with nuclear T3 binding.