1
|
Dore R, Sentis SC, Johann K, Lopez-Alcantara N, Resch J, Chandrasekar A, Müller-Fielitz H, Moeller LC, Fuehrer D, Schwaninger M, Obermayer B, Opitz R, Mittag J. Partial Resistance to Thyroid Hormone-Induced Tachycardia and Cardiac Hypertrophy in Mice Lacking Thyroid Hormone Receptor β. Thyroid 2024. [PMID: 38526409 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2023.0638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Background: Thyroid hormones regulate cardiac functions mainly through direct actions in the heart and by binding to the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) isoforms α1 and β. While the role of the most abundantly expressed isoform, TRα1, is widely studied and well characterized, the role of TRβ in regulating heart functions is still poorly understood, primarily due to the accompanying elevation of circulating thyroid hormone in TRβ knockout mice (TRβ-KO). However, their hyperthyroidism is ameliorated at thermoneutrality, which allows studying the role of TRβ without this confounding factor. Methods: Here, we noninvasively monitored heart rate in TRβ-KO mice over several days using radiotelemetry at different housing temperatures (22°C and 30°C) and upon 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) administration in comparison to wild-type animals. Results: TRβ-KO mice displayed normal average heart rate at both 22°C and 30°C with only minor changes in heart rate frequency distribution, which was confirmed by independent electrocardiogram recordings in freely-moving conscious mice. Parasympathetic nerve activity was, however, impaired in TRβ-KO mice at 22°C, and only partly rescued at 30°C. As expected, oral treatment with pharmacological doses of T3 at 30°C led to tachycardia in wild-types, accompanied by broader heart rate frequency distribution and increased heart weight. The TRβ-KO mice, in contrast, showed blunted tachycardia, as well as resistance to changes in heart rate frequency distribution and heart weight. At the molecular level, these observations were paralleled by a blunted cardiac mRNA induction of several important genes, including the pacemaker channels Hcn2 and Hcn4, as well as Kcna7. Conclusions: The phenotyping of TRβ-KO mice conducted at thermoneutrality allows novel insights on the role of TRβ in cardiac functions in the absence of the usual confounding hyperthyroidism. Even though TRβ is expressed at lower levels than TRα1 in the heart, our findings demonstrate an important role for this isoform in the cardiac response to thyroid hormones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Dore
- Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Sarah Christine Sentis
- Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Kornelia Johann
- Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Nuria Lopez-Alcantara
- Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Julia Resch
- Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Akila Chandrasekar
- Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Helge Müller-Fielitz
- Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Lars Christian Moeller
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and Division of Laboratory Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Dagmar Fuehrer
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and Division of Laboratory Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Markus Schwaninger
- Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Benedikt Obermayer
- Core Unit Bioinformatics, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Opitz
- Institute of Experimental Pediatric Endocrinology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens Mittag
- Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abstract
Background: The importance of thyroid hormones (THs) for peripheral body temperature regulation has been long recognized, as medical conditions such as hyper- and hypothyroidism lead to alterations in body temperature and energy metabolism. In the past decade, the brain actions of THs and their respective nuclear receptors, thyroid hormone receptor α1 (TRα1) and thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRβ), coordinating body temperature regulation have moved into focus. However, the exact roles of the individual TR isoforms and their precise neuroanatomical substrates remain poorly understood. Methods: Here we used mice expressing a mutant TRα1 (TRα1+m) as well as TRβ knockouts to study body temperature regulation using radiotelemetry in conscious and freely moving animals at different ambient temperatures, including their response to oral 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) treatment. Subsequently, we tested the effects of a dominant-negative TRα1 on body temperature after adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated expression in the hypothalamus, a region known to be involved in thermoregulation. Results: While TRβ seems to play a negligible role in body temperature regulation, TRα1+m mice had lower body temperature, which was surprisingly not entirely normalized at 30°C, where defects in facultative thermogenesis or tail heat loss are eliminated as confounding factors. Only oral T3 treatment fully normalized the body temperature profile of TRα1+m mice, suggesting that the mutant TRα1 confers an altered central temperature set point in these mice. When we tested this hypothesis more directly by expressing the dominant-negative TRα1 selectively in the hypothalamus via AAV transfection, we observed a similarly reduced body temperature at room temperature and 30°C. Conclusion: Our data suggest that TRα1 signaling in the hypothalamus is important for maintaining body temperature. However, further studies are needed to dissect the precise neuroanatomical substrates and the downstream pathways mediating this effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Christine Sentis
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck/Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Lübeck, Germany
| | - Riccardo Dore
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck/Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Lübeck, Germany
| | - Rebecca Oelkrug
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck/Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Lübeck, Germany
| | - Beke Kolms
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck/Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Lübeck, Germany
| | - Karl Alexander Iwen
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck/Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Lübeck, Germany
| | - Jens Mittag
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck/Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Lübeck, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lopez-Alcantara N, Oelkrug R, Sentis SC, Kirchner H, Mittag J. Lack of thyroid hormone receptor beta is not detrimental for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis progression. iScience 2023; 26:108064. [PMID: 37822510 PMCID: PMC10563054 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Agonists for thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ) show promise in preclinical studies and clinical trials to improve non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A recent study on human livers, however, revealed reduced TRβ expression in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), indicating a developing thyroid hormone resistance, which could constitute a major obstacle for those agonists. Using a rapid NASH paradigm combining choline-deficient high-fat diet and thermoneutrality, we confirm that TRβ declines during disease progression in mice similar to humans. Contrary to expectations, mice lacking TRβ showed less liver fibrosis, and NASH marker genes were not elevated. Conversely, increasing TRβ expression in wild-type NASH mice using liver-targeted gene therapy did not improve histology, gene expression, or metabolic parameters, indicating that TRβ receptor levels are of minor relevance for NASH development and progression in our model, and suggest that liver-rather than isoform-specificity might be more relevant for NASH treatment with thyroid hormone receptor agonists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Lopez-Alcantara
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck / Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center for Brain Behavior and Metabolism CBBM, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Rebecca Oelkrug
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck / Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center for Brain Behavior and Metabolism CBBM, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Sarah Christine Sentis
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck / Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center for Brain Behavior and Metabolism CBBM, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Henriette Kirchner
- Institut für Humangenetik, AG Epigenetik und Metabolismus, Universität zu Lübeck / Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center for Brain Behavior and Metabolism CBBM, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Jens Mittag
- Institut für Endokrinologie und Diabetes, AG Molekulare Endokrinologie, Universität zu Lübeck / Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Center for Brain Behavior and Metabolism CBBM, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dore R, Watson L, Hollidge S, Krause C, Sentis SC, Oelkrug R, Geißler C, Johann K, Pedaran M, Lyons G, Lopez-Alcantara N, Resch J, Sayk F, Iwen KA, Franke A, Boysen TJ, Dalley JW, Lorenz K, Moran C, Rennie KL, Arner A, Kirchner H, Chatterjee K, Mittag J. Resistance to thyroid hormone induced tachycardia in RTHα syndrome. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3312. [PMID: 37286550 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38960-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in thyroid hormone receptor α1 (TRα1) cause Resistance to Thyroid Hormone α (RTHα), a disorder characterized by hypothyroidism in TRα1-expressing tissues including the heart. Surprisingly, we report that treatment of RTHα patients with thyroxine to overcome tissue hormone resistance does not elevate their heart rate. Cardiac telemetry in male, TRα1 mutant, mice indicates that such persistent bradycardia is caused by an intrinsic cardiac defect and not due to altered autonomic control. Transcriptomic analyses show preserved, thyroid hormone (T3)-dependent upregulation of pacemaker channels (Hcn2, Hcn4), but irreversibly reduced expression of several ion channel genes controlling heart rate. Exposure of TRα1 mutant male mice to higher maternal T3 concentrations in utero, restores altered expression and DNA methylation of ion channels, including Ryr2. Our findings indicate that target genes other than Hcn2 and Hcn4 mediate T3-induced tachycardia and suggest that treatment of RTHα patients with thyroxine in high dosage without concomitant tachycardia, is possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Dore
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Laura Watson
- National Institute Health and Care Research Cambridge Clinical Research Facility, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stefanie Hollidge
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christin Krause
- Institute for Human Genetics, Department of Epigenetics & Metabolism, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Sarah Christine Sentis
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Rebecca Oelkrug
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Cathleen Geißler
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Kornelia Johann
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Mehdi Pedaran
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Greta Lyons
- Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nuria Lopez-Alcantara
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Julia Resch
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Friedhelm Sayk
- Internal Medicine I, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Karl Alexander Iwen
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
- Internal Medicine I, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Andre Franke
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Rosalind-Franklin-Straße 12, 24105, Kiel, Germany
| | - Teide Jens Boysen
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Rosalind-Franklin-Straße 12, 24105, Kiel, Germany
| | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
| | - Kristina Lorenz
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Versbacher Straße 9, 97078, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V., Bunsen-Kirchhoff-Str. 11, 44139, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Carla Moran
- Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Beacon Hospital and School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kirsten L Rennie
- MRC Epidemiology Unit and Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anders Arner
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, c/o Igelösa Life Science AB, Igelösa 373, 225 94, Lund, Sweden
| | - Henriette Kirchner
- Institute for Human Genetics, Department of Epigenetics & Metabolism, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Krishna Chatterjee
- Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jens Mittag
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain Behavior & Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Land R, Sentis SC, Kral A. Topographical EEG Recordings of Visual Evoked Potentials in Mice using Multichannel Thin-film Electrodes. J Vis Exp 2022. [DOI: 10.3791/64034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
|
6
|
Abstract
A normal thyroid status is crucial for body temperature homeostasis, as thyroid hormone regulates both heat loss and conservation as well as heat production in the thermogenic tissues. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is the major site of non-shivering thermogenesis and an important target of thyroid hormone action. Thyroid hormone not only regulates the tissue's sensitivity to sympathetic stimulation by norepinephrine but also the expression of uncoupling protein 1, the key driver of BAT thermogenesis. Vice versa, sympathetic stimulation of BAT triggers the expression of deiodinase type II, an enzyme that enhances local thyroid hormone availability and signaling. This review summarizes the current knowledge on how thyroid hormone controls BAT thermogenesis, aiming to dissect the direct actions of the hormone in BAT and its indirect actions via the CNS, browning of white adipose tissue or heat loss over body surfaces. Of particular relevance is the apparent dose dependency of the observed effects, as we find that minor or moderate changes in thyroid hormone levels often have different effects as compared to high pharmacological doses. Moreover, we conclude that the more recent findings require a reevaluation of older studies, as key aspects such as heat loss or central BAT activation may not have received the necessary attention during the interpretation of these early findings. Finally, we provide a list of what we believe are the most relevant questions in the field that to date are still enigmatic and require further studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Christine Sentis
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Rebecca Oelkrug
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Jens Mittag
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Correspondence should be addressed to J Mittag:
| |
Collapse
|