The effect of triiodothyronine on 2-deoxy-D-(1-3H)glucose uptake in cultured chick embryo heart cells.

The uptake of 2-deoxy-D-[1-3H]glucose ([1-3H]DOG)by cultured chick embryo heart cells was stimulated by exposure to triiodothyronine (T3). The concentration of free T3 for half maximal stimulation of [1-3H]DOG uptake was 8.7 x 10(-10)M. Nuclear binding studies revealed that the Kd for T3 was 4.2 x 10(-10)M. The molar potencies of other thyroactive compounds in stimulating [1-3H]DOG uptake, relative to L-T3, were: 500% for 3'-isopropyl-3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine, 20% for L-thyroxine (T4), 17% for D-T3, 2.2% for D-T4, 0.6% for 3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine and less than 0.1% for 3',5',3-triiodo-L-thyronine and L-thyronine. These data suggest that cultured chick embryo heart cells may serve in the study of the mode of action of thyroid hormones.