T3 and vascular calcification

[helvella]

Yet another paper identifying a specific action of T3 that isn't just "for hypothyroidism". Very interesting the interplay of vitamin D and thyroid hormone. And perhaps a shot across the bows of the "vaping" juggernaut which appears to claim that there are no health issues in using electronic "cigarettes" instead of tobacco? (Fair enough that vaping may be less injurious than tobacco, but I struggle to believe it has a totally clean bill of health.)

Calcif Tissue Int. 2014 Nov 23. [Epub ahead of print]

Thyroid Hormone Attenuates Vascular Calcification Induced by Vitamin D3 Plus Nicotine in Rats.

Zhang J1, Chang JR, Duan XH, Yu YR, Zhang BH.

Author information

Abstract

Thyroid hormones (THs) including thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) play critical roles in bone remodeling. However, the role and mechanism of THs in vascular calcification (VC) have been unclear. To explore the pathophysiological roles of T3 on VC, we investigated the changes in plasma and aortas of THs concentrations and the effect of T3 on rat VC induced by vitamin D3 plus nicotine (VDN). VDN-treated rat showed decreased plasma T3 content, increased vascular calcium deposition, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Administration of T3 (0.2 mg/kg body weight IP) for 10 days greatly reduced vascular calcium deposition and ALP activity in calcified rat aortas when compared with controls. Concurrently, the loss of smooth muscle lineage markers α-actin and SM22a was restored, and the increased bone-associated molecules, such as runt-related transcription factor2 (Runx2), Osterix, and osteopontin (OPN) levels in calcified aorta, were reduced by administration of T3. The suppression of klotho in calcified rat aorta was restored by T3. Methimazole (400 mg/L) blocked the beneficial effect of T3 on VC. These results suggested that T3 can inhibit VC development.

PMID:

25416842

[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/254...

Rod

[Zephyrbear]

For those of us who do not have a degree in scientific gobbledygook, what does this mean???

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Zephyrbear]

It appears that calcification of blood vessels such as the aorta may be reduced by adding T3 even when they have used vitamin D and nicotine to cause such calcification. End result: healthier blood vessels and bones when T3 is adequate.

[Zephyrbear in reply to helvella]

Thank you for that explanation. That makes it a lot clearer.

[Tinx71]

Isn't the trick to avoiding calcification when using D3 to also take K2 ?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Tinx71]

Maybe - but this was an experiment to show that thyroid hormone has its effect, not to dismiss K2.

[Dramlouie]

This is very interesting. I take ndt but feel that I am ageing faster than friends of the same age. I am 63 but my hair is falling out, I am very weak, my skin has lost most of its elasticity, I ache, have arthritis, can't remember things, lose words, weight gain. Finally after many years of complaining that something isn't right and high alkaline phosphatase results which the doctors just shrugged and said nothing to worry about. Why then is there a high and low and even take the blood test in the first place if the result is going to be ignored. So I finally saw a rheumatologist who has sent me for realms of tests and scans and off the record told me to change doctors. I do a bit of research as we have to do ourselves and came across Klotho which is produced in the kidneys and reduces with age causing age related problems. I have low creatine kinase level and high serum LH level. I was wondering if I had low Klotho levels. I don't smoke. I take vitamin D3 with K2.