Thyroid Weight (thyroid + weight)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Ammonium perchlorate effects on thyroid function and growth in bobwhite quail chicks

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2004
F. M. ANNE Mcnabb
Abstract Bobwhite quail chicks were used to investigate ammonium perchlorate (AP; NH4ClO4) effects on thyroid function and growth. Beginning at 3 to 4 d posthatch, we evaluated organismal thyroid status (circulating hormones), activation of the hypo-thalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (thyroid wt) and thyroidal hormone content over a wide range of AP concentrations (50 ,g/L , 4,000 mg/L) in drinking water, for relatively short (2-week) and longer (8-week) exposures. Thyroidal thyroxine (T4) content, the most sensitive index of decreased thyroid function, decreased markedly in response to increasing perchlorate exposure. Thyroid weight and plasma T4 were less sensitive indicators and similar in their ability to detect thyroid changes. Growth measurements (body wt and skeletal growth) were very insensitive indices. Because thyroids contain large hormone stores, with low exposures or short time periods, these stores can be used to maintain circulating hormones, at least temporarily. Most depletion of thyroidal T4 occurred during the first two weeks of AP exposure. Subsequent decreases were at a slower rate presumably because thyrotropin stimulation of the thyroids at least partially compensated for some of the perchlorate effect. Additional studies of the interactions between AP concentration and exposure time are needed for understanding the complex nature of thyroid responses to perchlorate. [source]


Lack of Effect of Soy Isoflavone on Thyroid Hyperplasia in Rats Receiving an Iodine-deficient Diet

CANCER SCIENCE, Issue 2 2001
Hwa-Young Son
We have reported a dramatic synergism between soy intake and iodine deficiency regarding induction of thyroid hyperplasia in rats. Because isoflavones are active constituents of soybeans, in the present study, their possible contribution was examined. Female F344 rats were divided into 8 groups, exposed to diet containing a 0.2% soy isoflavone mixture (SI), 0.2% SI+iodine deficiency (ID), 0.04% SI, 0.04% SI+ID, 20% defatted soybean (DS) alone, 20% DS+ID, ID alone or basal diet alone for 5 weeks. Thyroid weight was not influenced by SI, but was increased by the ID and DS diets with a further significant increment in the DS+ID group (P<0.01). Compared to the control value, serum T4 was significantly (P<0.01) increased by 20% DS alone and decreased in all groups given the ID treatment (P<0.001). Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level was increased by ID, and further enhanced by DS (P<0.01) but not SI. Histopathologically, diffuse hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia of thyroid follicles were observed in the ID-treated groups, the severity being enhanced by DS but not SI. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling indices (%) were elevated in the ID diet groups and again enhanced by DS, but not SI. These results thus suggest that isoflavones may not be involved in the mechanisms underlying the synergistic goitrogenic effect of soybean with iodine deficiency. [source]


Effect of an organic acid blend and phytase added to a rapeseed cake-containing diet on performance, intestinal morphology, caecal microflora activity and thyroid status of broiler chickens

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 1 2010
S. Smulikowska
Summary The experiment was carried out on 96 female broilers, allocated to eight groups of 12 birds kept in individual cages. Two basal wheat- and soyabean meal-based diets containing 150 g/kg of rapeseed expeller cake were formulated, differing in the level of P: 7.1 g/kg in diet H or 5.9 g/kg in diet L. Rapeseed cake supplied 3.15 ,mol alkenyl glucosinolates per gram of diet. The eight treatments were: basal diets only, basal diets + phytase (1000 U/kg), basal diets + organic acid blend (OA, 6 g/kg), or basal diets + both additives. Diets were fed from day 8 to 28 of life. The results showed that the lower dietary P content and OA supplementation did not significantly affect feed intake or BWG, while both increased (p < 0.001) after phytase supplementation. Tibia ash content as well as tibia ultimate strength were lower (p < 0.001) in birds fed diets L compared with diets H, and increased (p < 0.01) with phytase supplementation of diet L, while OA had no influence on either parameter. Dietary P levels and OA supplementation had no influence on the pH of gut digesta, but the pH of jejunal digesta increased following phytase supplementation (p < 0.01). Morphological measurements of the small intestinal mucosa of chicks indicated that OA added to diet L depressed villi height (p < 0.001) and crypt depth (p < 0.001); both parameters increased after phytase supplementation (p < 0.01). The lower total SCFA as well as acetic, propionic and butyric acid concentrations in caecal digesta indicated lower activity of caecal microflora in birds fed diets L compared with H. OA supplementation had no influence, while phytase supplementation increased the concentration of acetic acid in caecal digesta. Supplementation of diets with either phytase or OA increased thyroid weight by 16% (p < 0.01) and 11% (p < 0.05) respectively. The increase in thyroid weight because of phytase supplementation was greater at the lower dietary P level, and the greatest when both phytase and OA were added to the diet. [source]


Goitrogenic activity of p -coumaric acid in rats

JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY, Issue 6 2003
Fatima Khelifi-Touhami
Abstract The effects of three natural phenolic acids (caffeic, ferulic, and p -coumaric) on the rat thyroid gland were examined in a 3-week oral-treatment study. Forty male Wistar albino rats, divided into groups of 10 rats each and fed iodine-rich diet, were administered by gastrointestinal tube saline (control), caffeic acid, ferulic acid, or p -coumaric acid at a dose level of 0.25 ,mol/kg/day for 3 weeks. The mean absolute and relative thyroid weights in caffeic, ferulic, or p -coumaric acid groups were significantly increased to 127 and 132%, 146 and 153%, or 189 and 201% compared to control value, respectively. Histological examination of the thyroids of p -coumaric acid group revealed marked hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia of the follicles. Caffeic or ferulic groups showed slight to moderate thyroid gland enlargement. Thyroid lesions in p -coumaric acid group were associated with significant increases in cellular proliferation as indicated by [3H]thymidine incorporation. In addition, the goitrogenic effect of p -coumaric acid was further confirmed by significant decreases (50%) in serum tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), and a parallel increase (90%) in serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) compared to control group. These results indicate that administration of p -coumaric acid at relatively high doses induces goiter in rats. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 17:324,328, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.10094 [source]