Suppression of thyroid function during ingestion of seaweed "Kombu" (Laminaria japonoca) in normal Japanese adults.

The effect of ingesting seaweed "Kombu" (Laminaria japonica) on thyroid function was studied in normal Japanese adults. Ingesting 15 and 30 g of Kombu (iodine contents: 35 and 70 mg) daily for a short term (7-10 days) significantly increased serum thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations, exceeding the normal limits in some subjects. The serum free thyroxine (FT(4)) and/or free 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (FT(3)) concentrations were slightly decreased within the normal limits. During long term daily ingestion of 15 g of Kombu (55-87 days), the TSH levels were elevated and sustained while the FT(4) and FT(3) levels were almost unchanged. Urinary excretion of iodine significantly increased during ingestion of Kombu. These abnormal values returned to the initial levels 7 to 40 days after discontinuing the ingestion of Kombu. Based on these findings that thyroid function was suppressed during ingestion of Kombu, though the effect was reversible, we recommend Japanese people avoid ingesting excessive amounts of seaweed.

Analysis of the three dimensional structure of the CXGXC motif in the CMGCC and CAGYC regions of alpha-and beta-subunits of human chorionic gonadotropin: importance of glycine residue (G) in the motif.

The three dimensional structures of the C(1)X(2)G (3)(X(3))X(4)C(5) motif of hCG, which is considered to be important for noncovalent assembly of the alpha- and beta-subunits of glycoprotein hormones were analyzed to assess the importance of glycine (Gly) (G) at site X(3) in the motif by the conformational energy calculation using computational procedures. In the C(1)M(2)G (3)(X(3))C(4)C(5) motif of the alpha-subunit, Ramachandran plot analysis showing the allowed area of the dihedral angles demonstrated that only a Gly residue was allowed at site X(3). In calculating collision with surrounding atoms as a monomer the possible main chain models of the C(1)A(2)G(3)(X(3))Y(4)C(5) motif in the beta-subunit showed that only alanine (Ala) (A) or Gly at site X(3) is allowed to alleviate the collision with the cysteine (Cys) (C) residues which form a disulfide bridge. A mutant of the beta-subunit with the C(1)A(2)A(3)(X(3))Y(4)C(5) motif (Ala at site X(3)) may not compose a heterodimer with the alpha-subunit because of interference of intermolecular hydrogen bond formation. These findings indicate that the Gly residue at site X(3) (G(3)) in the motif is essential for heterodimer formation of glycoprotein hormones. The significance of similar motifs found in various human proteins other than glycoprotein hormones was suggested.

Further studies on episodic occurrence of congenital dysgenetic hypothyroidism in Osaka, Japan.

A total of 1,228,551 newborn babies, who were almost all of babies born in Osaka for 14 years (168 months), were screened for congenital primary hypothyroidism by an identical mass-screening program using the thyrotropin method, and 429 patients with hypothyroidism due to thyroid dysgenesis (dysgenetic hypothyroidism) were found. The occurrence of the patients in every month was not random but episodic and the incidence was higher in the late autumn (from October to December). These observations support a hypothesis that some environmental factors may cause this disorder overtime and the possibility of relation with intrauterine viral infection was discussed.

Development of a radiotransporter assay for determination of iodide: preliminary studies.

BACKGROUND: The principle of the radiotransporter assay (RATRA) is that the concentration of the substance to be assayed (analyte) is determined by the degree of its competitive inhibition of the binding of radioactive analyte with transporter. METHODS: To illustrate this approach, the iodide concentrations in urine samples were determined by means of RATRA using Na+/I- symporter (NIS). RESULTS: Iodide concentrations ranging from 9 x 10(-6) to 9 x 10(-4) mol/l could be measured without any significant interference of 0.85 mol/l NaCl. The mean recovery rate of added iodide to urine was 96.5%, serial dilutions of urine samples gave almost straight dose response lines passing near the zero point, the mean within assay coefficient of variation (CV) was 8.8% and between assay CV was 12.9%. Although urinary iodide concentrations determined by RATRA correlated with those using a chemical method (r = 0.97) and an electrode method (r = 0.85), there were discrepancies in absolute values particularly at the low level among these. CONCLUSIONS: The RATRA may have a limitation with respect to the specificity for determining analytes in the biological materials, but we suggest it has the ability to detect some factors influencing the transport.