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Thyroglobulin and Thyroid Hormone Release after Intravenous Administration of Bovine Thyrotropin in Man^*

Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Center for the Health Sciences,University of California Los Angeles, California 90024
Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, School of Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Brussels,Belgium; Los Angeles, California 90024

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. J. Unger, Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, School of Medicine, Free University of Brussels, 2, rue Evers, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium.

To elucidate the mechanism of thyroglobulin (Tg) release in man, the effects of an iv injection of a submaximal dose of bovine TSH (bTSH) on the serum levels of Tg were compared with the effects on serum T₃.and T₄. After the administration of bTSH, short term kinetics (0–4 h) were studied in eight subjects receiving 0.5 IU bTSH and seven subjects receiving 1 IU bTSH. Serum Tg did not significantly increase in either of the short term studies. By contrast, serum T₃ increased significantly and linearly after the iv administration of 0.5 and 1 IU bTSH; serum T₄ also rose but only after 1 IU bTSH. Long term kinetics (0–120 h) were studied in seven additional subjects after the iv administration of 1 IU bTSH; serum bTSH was no longer detectable after 8 h. Maximum serum concentrations of T₃ were obtained at about 4 h, maximum serum concentrations of T₄ were obtained between 4-8 h. Serum Tg levels increased linearly with time during the first 24 h. Maximum serum Tg levels correlated well with basal serum Tg values (r = 0.97; P < 0.001). The maximal increment in Tg correlated inversely with the maximal increment in T₃ (r = 0.71; P < 0.05). The half-life of Tg was estimated to be approximately 4 days by measuring the disappearance rate of Tg after its peak level was attained.

^* This work was supported by the Ministere de la Politique Scientifique,Actions Concertees, and grants from the Association Recherche Biomedicale et Diagnostic (A.R.B.D.) and the NCI (CA-13477).

Received November 20, 1979.

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