Effects of iodine deficiency on proten kinase C in developing rat hippocampus

  Objective   To study the effects of iodine deficiency and hypothyroidism on activity of protein kinase C(PKC)in rat pups hippocampus.

  Methods   Iodine deficient rats were administered with iodine-deficient diet and hypothyroid rats were administered with methimazole in drinking water. On postnatal 30 days, the hippocampus from the three groups was separated from the brain for PKC activity detection.

  Results   Cytosol PKC activities in iodine deficient and hypothyroid groups(24.876 3±10.443 3)were higher than that of the control group(20.559 8±6.312 1)pmol/(minºmg). PKC activities(membrane/cytosol)in iodine deficient(1.187 1±0.432 5)and hypothyroid(1.414 3±0.394 0)groups were significantly higher than that of the control group(0.6493±0.294 3)(P < 0.01).

  Conclusion   Iodine deficiency and hypothyroidism during critical periods brain developent may promote translocation of PKC from the cytosol to the membrane fraction and contribute to cognitive deficits associated with developmental iodine deficiency and hypothyroidism.