Short term effect of low doses of tri-iodothyronine on proximal tubular membrane Na-K-ATPase and potassium permeability in thyroidectomized rats.

Tri-iodothyronine (T3), even when administered for short time and at low doses, induces a large increase in the isotonic fluid reabsorption (Jv) in proximal tubules of thyroidectomized rats (TX). In order to investigate the role of the Na-K-ATPase in this process, we measured the Na-K-ATPase activity in early proximal convoluted tubules (S1) and proximal straight tubules (S2) microdissected from TX rats and rats treated with low doses of T3 (10 micrograms/kg body wt), either for 3 days (TX + 3T3) or for 7 days (TX + 7T3). In both segments no changes in Na-K-ATPase activity were found in TX + 3T3 rats versus TX rats, while an increase was registered in TX + 7T3 rats. Using micropuncture techniques, Jv measured on the same tubular segments increased by 68% in TX + 3T3 rats versus TX. Thus, no correlation between Jv and Na-K-ATPase activity measured in vitro could be detected after short term treatment of TX rats with T3. Na-K-ATPase activity in vivo is also regulated by the potassium permeability of the membrane, which might be altered by tri-iodothyronine. This hypothesis was tested by perfusing intraluminally and peritubularly proximal tubules of TX rats with the K ionophore, valinomycin (1 microgram/ml). In the dual perfusion experiments valinomycin elicited 40% of the action induced on Jv by 3 days treatment with T3. On the other hand, no further increase in Jv was recorded when valinomycin was applied in TX rats pretreated with T3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)