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Influence of Diet Composition on Serum Triiodothyronine (T₃) Concentration, Hepatic Mitochondrial Metabolism and Shuttle System Activity in Rats

Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405

Two experiments were conducted to determine if variations in diet composition sufficient to alter circulating triiodothyronine (T₃) concentration would influence hepatic mitochondrial metabolism. In experiment I, mitochondrial respiration and the activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), cytochrome oxidase (CO) and glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (m-GPD) were measured in 42-day-old male rats fed diets containing casein/carbohydrate/fat: 8/73/10% (low protein), 22/59/10% (control protein), and 45/36/10% (high protein) for 3 weeks. When compared to control, serum T₃ was increased 2–3 times in the low and decreased 19% in the high protein-fed groups. Mitochondria isolated from low protein-fed rats consumed less oxygen in both state 4 and state 3 with succinate as substrate when compared to control or high protein fed rats. However, ADP/O and respiratory control (RC) ratios were similar in all groups. Activity of SDH and CO was decreased only in low protein-fed rats. M-GPD activity was increased in the low and decreased in the high protein fed-rats. In experiment 2, -glycerophosphate shuttle activity was increased 2–3 fold and malate-aspartate shuttle activity decreased 60% in intact mitochondria isolated from low protein-fed rats when compared to rats pair-fed control diet. These results suggest a role for diet composition as a regulator of hepatic intermediary metabolism mediated by thyroid hormones.

KEY WORDS: • dietary protein • mitochondrial metabolism • triiodothyronine

¹ To whom reprint requests should be sent at: Department of Human Nutrition and Foods, Terrill Hall, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405.

Manuscript received 30 June 1980.