Effect of Fluoride on the Metabolic Activity of Thyroid Slices

Abstract

Sodium fluoride added to beef thyroid slices increases the oxidation of glucose-1-14C and glucose-6-14C to 14CO2 and the incorporation of 32P-phosphate into phospholipid. Sodium fluoride also increases the oxidation of glucose-1-14C to 14C to 14CO2 in dog thyroid slices. In beef thyroid homogenates sodium fluoride stimulates the activity of adenyl cyclase. However, sodium fluoride fails to induce the formation of pseudopods or intracellular colloid droplets. The failure to induce droplets is not due to any inhibitory effect of fluoride since the response to TSH was unaffected by F−. The significance of these findings in relation to the possible role of cyclic 3′,5′-AMP in controlling thyroid metabolism is discussed. (Endocrinology83: 157, 1968)