Thyroid hormone supplementation can have beneficial effects in type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study T2D was induced in thirty young female rats by an intraperitoneal (ip) injection of nicotinamide (200 mg/kg) followed 15 minutes later by an ip injection of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg, STZ/N). Control rats (CR, n=10) received vehicle injections. After 2 months, subgroups of STZ/N rats received either 4 (STZ/N4) or 8ug/kg/day (STZ/N8) of triiodothyronine (T3) in drinking water for one month. Subsequent metabolic and ventilatory studies (during exposure to air or hypoxia, 10% O2 in N2) indicated little effects in the STZ/N group compared to CR. In contrast, STZ/N8 group was clearly hyperthyroid with lower body weights, elevated body temperatures, metabolic rates, and ventilation during exposure to air and hypoxia. Except for changes in inspiratory (increased) and expiratory (decreased) times during air exposure, the ventilation and metabolism of the STZ/N4 group was similar to the CR and STZ/N groups. Importantly, the lower, but not higher dose of T3 attenuated the hyperglycemia observed in both the STZ/N and STZ/N8 groups. Thus, low levels of T3 supplementation may have beneficial effects in T2D, but have subtle effects of ventilatory timing parameters during air exposure. Funded by R01 7R01HL093160‐03 (from NHLBI) and a Clinical Scientist Training Award from the American Diabetes Association (ADA 7‐10‐CST‐01).
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