Estimation of thyroxine and triiodothyronine distribution and of the conversion rate of thyroxine to triiodothyronine in man.

A B S T R A C T Studies on peripheral metabolism of simultaneously administered 125I-labeled L-thyroxine (['I1]T4) and "1'I-labeled L-triiodothyronine ([.1.I]T3) were performed in five normal subjects, in four patients with untreated hypothyroidism, and in 3 hypothyroid patients made euthyroid by the administration of T4. The fractional turnover rate (Xos) of thyroid hormones irreversibly leaving the site of degradation and the vol- umes of pool 1 (serum, Vi), of pool 2 (interstitial fluid, V2), and of pool 3 (all tissues, V3) were obtained by using a three-compartment analysis. In addition to the turnover studies, the ratios for the in vivo To to T3 conversion were determined by paper chromatographic study in sera obtained 4, 7, and 10 days after the in- jection. The rate (K12) of the extrathyroidal conversion of T4 to T3 was also estimated by the compartment analysis. The T3 distribution volume (V3) of pool 3, in which T3 is utilized and degraded, was about 60% of total distribution volume (V = V1 + V2+ V3) in nor- mal subjects, whereas only about 25% of the extra- thyroidal T4 pool was in the intracellular compartment, indicating that T3 is predominantly an intracellular hormone. The V3/V ratios of T3 were almost constant in a normal ratio of about 60% in hypothyroid patients before and after treatment. On the other hand, the V3/V ratios of T4 were elevated in patients with un- treated hypothyroidism, and they returned almost to the normal range after administration of T4. Thus, the V3/V ratio of T4 bore a significant inverse relation to the free T4 concentration in all subjects (r = -0.68, P < 0.05). The findings suggested a redistribution of T4 into