Hanyang Med Rev.  2012 Nov;32(4):187-191. 10.7599/hmr.2012.32.4.187.

Thyroid and Hydrogen Peroxide

• Park DJ

• KMID: 2168208
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7599/hmr.2012.32.4.187

Abstract

The thyroid gland produces high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) which is used for the biosynthesis of the thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine and thyroxine. The most important step in thyroid hormone synthesis is oxidation and organification of iodide, which itself is a very potent oxidant. To oxidize iodide, thyrocytes generate high intracellular concentrations of H2O2 using the NADPH-dependent dual oxidase enzymes (DUOX) and remove used H2O2 by various well-characterized antioxidant systems, such as those involving glutathione peroxidases and peroxiredoxins. Although thyrocytes have very intricate and efficient systems to regulate H2O2 generation and removal, leakage of H2O2 may be inevitable because of the high intracellular concentrations of H2O2 in thyrocytes. Leakage of the highly reactive oxidant H2O2 is likely to cause the damage to various intracellular proteins and DNA that has been demonstrated to be a causative factor in the induction of various diseases, such as thyroid cancer, chronic thyroiditis and hyperthyroidism. Therefore, ongoing investigation of the systems regulating H2O2 production and elimination in thyrocytesis essential for understanding the regulation and process of thyroid hormone synthesis and also for elucidating pathogenetic mechanisms underlying various autoimmune thyroid diseases and the initiation and promotion of thyroid cancers.

Keyword

Thyrocyte; Hydrogen Peroxide; Free Radicals; Peroxiredoxins; NADPH Oxidase

MeSH Terms

DNA
Free Radicals
Glutathione
Hydrogen
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hyperthyroidism
NADPH Oxidase
Oxidoreductases
Peroxidases
Peroxiredoxins
Proteins
Thyroid Diseases
Thyroid Gland
Thyroid Hormones
Thyroid Neoplasms
Thyroiditis
Thyroxine
Triiodothyronine
DNA
Free Radicals
Glutathione
Hydrogen
Hydrogen Peroxide
NADPH Oxidase
Oxidoreductases
Peroxidases
Peroxiredoxins
Proteins
Thyroid Hormones
Thyroxine
Triiodothyronine

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Thyroid hormone synthesis. Adopted from the Wikipedia Commons.

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