Hypothalamo-pituitary regulation of thyrotrophin secretion in chronically catheterized Brattleboro rats

Abstract
Plasma TSH rhythms were measured in Brattleboro (DI) and control Long–Evans (LE) rats with an intracardiac catheter allowing repeated sampling in conscious unstressed animals. The TSH response to thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH; 500 ng/100 g body weight) was also determined. Finally, hypothalamic and pancreatic TRH concentrations and TRH-degrading activity (TRH-DA) were measured by specific radioimmunoassay. Long–Evans rats had a 24-h rhythm with a major modulatory 8-h component. In DI rats, only the 24-h rhythm was detected. The mean 24-h rhythm-adjusted mean TSH level was higher in DI than in LE rats (1·38±0·05 and 1·14 ± 0·06 μg/l respectively, PPJ. Endocr. (1985) 105, 277–283