ACUTE IODINE INGESTION INCREASES INTRATHYROIDAL GLUTATHIONE

In genetically predisposed individuals, autoimmune lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT) is potentiated by excess dietary iodine (I). There have been data which suggest that oxidative stress may have a role in iodine-induced LT. These in vivo studies were undertaken to examine the effect of iodine on intrathyroidal levels of the potent antioxidant glutathione (GSH) and see if the thyroids of LT-prone BB/Wor rats have aberrant GSH responses after iodine-loading. LT-prone BB/Wor, non LT-prone BB/Wor and Wistar rats were randomized to receive either 0.05% I (as NaI) or tap water. Thyroid and liver homogenates were assayed individually for GSH. Following the administration of 0.05% iodine water overnight, all of the animals demonstrated a rise in intrathyroidal GSH regardless of LT-proneness. To determine whether this was a dose-dependent response, Wis rats were randomized to receive tap, 0.01 25%, 0.025%, 0.05%, or 0.075% I, overnight. Intrathyroidal GSH levels rose with increasing iodine concentrations peaking at 0.025% I. Hepatic GSH levels were unaltered by iodine treatment. Ten days of 0.05% I water did not result in any difference between the GSH levels of thyroids from treated and control rats. Frozen sections of the thyroids and livers from iodine-treated rats were compared to tap-water controls after staining with Mercury Orange for GSH and Schiff's reagent for evidence of lipid peroxidation. Iodine-treated thyroids had an apparent shift of GSH staining from the apical border to the cytoplasm. However, there was no Schiff's staining indicative of lipid peroxidation in the iodine-treated thyroids. These results show that acute iodine loads increase intrathyroidal GSH and LT-prone rats do not have an inherent deficit in this response. Therefore, we conclude that there is no role for oxidative damage in iodine-induced LT. We propose that GSH has a role in intrathyroidal iodine metabolism and thyroid hormone synthesis.