The effect of pinealectomy on plasma vasopressin response to isotonic, hypertonic and hypovolemic treatments in rats supplemented with L-thyroxine

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of basal, isotonic as well as hypertonic and hypovolemic treatments on fluid-electrolyte balance and plasma AVP levels in rats supplemented with L-thyroxine and pinealectomized L-thyroxine. The animals were initially separated into 4 groups: control (n = 24), L-thyroxine treated (n = 24); L-thyroxine + sham-pinealectomy (n = 24) treated and 4-L-thyroxine + pinealectomy (n = 24) treated. L-thyroxine was given for 4 weeks. At the end of the 4-week experimental period, the sub-groups were formed before decapitation, which were classified as unstimulated (n = 6), isotonic (n = 6), hypertonic (n = 6) and hypovolemic (n = 6) stimulation. Plasma AVP, total triiodothyronine (TT3) and total thyroxine (TT4) levels were examined in plasma by RIA. Hematocrit and osmolality levels were also determined. It was found that the TT3 and TT4 levels showed significant increases in L-thyroxine treated groups (P <0.001). Also, plasma AVP levels increased in the group subjected to L-thyroxine treatment. However, this increase was depicted to be significantly more prominent in L-thyroxine + pinealectomy treated group (P <0.001). The results of the present study indicate that L-thyroxine treatment increases the basal and stimulated AVP release, which became more significant in the pinealectomy plus L-thyroxine treatment group. Moreover, the results indicate that AVP response to hypertonic and hypovolemic stimulations does not undergo any change due to supplementation by L-thyroxine treatment and/or pinealectomy plus L-thyroxine.