Physiological effects of active immunization with triiodothyronine in rats

Abstract

Immunization with triiodothyronine conjugated to a carrier protein through carbodiimide induces the production of specific antibodies interacting primarily with triiodothyronine and to a lesser extent with thyroxin. The immunization increases blood content of triiodothyronine, delays weight gain, increases the number of audiogenic seizures, disturbs thermoregulation in different thermal regimens, and sensitizes the animals to hypoxia. It can be hypothesized that immunization induces hyperthyroid shifts since anti-triiodothyronine antibodies stabilize the hormone in the circulation by preventing its inactivation and elimination and/or stimulate its synthesis.