GROWTH-HORMONE AND THYROXINE AFFECT LIPOPROTEIN METABOLISM IN HYPOTHYROID AND HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED RATS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of thyroxine (T4) and GH replacement on serum lipoproteins in rats with primary and secondary hypothyroidism and to see whether recover of GH activity was associated with normalization of serum lipoproteins. In both the primary and secondary hypothyroid rats, total cholesterol (TC) was higher than in normal controls, due to an increase in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and to a lesser extent also in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). Treatment of hypophysectomized rats with GH induced a decrease in the concentration of TC, LDL-c and HDL-c, while liver lipase activity (LLA) increased. The effect of GH on HDL-c was correlated with the increase in LLA. T4 replacement therapy of hypophysectomized rats normalized LDL-c, but HDL-c and LLA were unaffected. During primary hypothyroidism, T4 treatment induced GH activity, increased LLA and reduced the HDL-c concentration. GH treatment of primary hypothyroid rats had a similar influence on the lipid levels and LLA as in hypophysectomized animals, although the lowering of HDL-c was less prominent. These results demonstrate that GH determines serum lipoproteins during both primary and secondary hypothyroidism.