Effect of Triton WR-1339 on thyroid activity of normal guinea pigs

¹ Radioisotope and Tuberculosis Research Laboratories, Veterans Administration Hospital, Washington, D. C.

The effect of treatment with Triton WR-1339 on thyroid function was investigated in normal guinea pigs by using the thyroxin turnover technique. In addition, various other parameters such as the total distribution space (TDS), protein-bound iodine (PBI), and extrathyroidal organic iodine (ETOI) were investigated. It was found that in animals treated with Triton there was a more rapid disappearance of thyroxin, while the TDS, PBI, and ETOI were not significantly different from controls. It is concluded that the unchanged levels of plasma hormone suggest that Triton WR-1339 does not stimulate the thyroid gland directly. The increased rate of thyroxin disappearance could be explained by an indirect stimulation of the gland resulting from increased activity of a hormone-degrading enzyme system at the tissue level.