Selenium content of livers from sex-linked dwarf and normal broiler breeders

Plasma concentrations of cGH, T₃, and T₄ were not different between dwarf and normal broiler breeders. Normal hens had a liver selenium content of 710±35 ng/g, and dwarf hens 656 ±nine ng/g (n=8). Following injections into a wing vein of different doses (1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 24 μg/kg) of the hypothalamic hormone TRH, GH was increased after 15 min. This effect seemed to last longer in dwarf chickens. Plasma concentrations of T₃ increased significantly 1 h after TRH in normal hens, but TRH was ineffective in raising T₃ levels in dwarf animals. The selenium content of livers obtained following decapitation after 2 h was also increased in normal hens up to 902±42 ng/g using the highest dose of TRH (24 μg/kg). This seemed not to be the case for dwarf animals. A much smaller. number of hepatic cGH receptors was also found in dwarf hens, whereas the affinity of the hepatic GH receptor was not influenced by the genotype. It is concluded that the sex-linked dwarf hens are unable to increase their hepatic T₄ into T₃ conversion following a TRH challenge probably because of a deficiency in hepatic GH receptors. The lower content of selenium in dwarfs and their inability to increase its uptake after TRH seem therefore to support the hypothesis that selenium has a direct role in the activity of the 5′-deiodinase complex.