Abstract
Transporters are essential in thyroid hormone metabolism. Thyroxine (T4) is transported by solute carrier organic anion transporter 1c1 (SLCO1C1, OATP14) into the adult brain, where T4 is converted to 3,5,3 - triiodothyronine (T3).
In adults, SLCO1C1 expression is found in two brain barrier structures: the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and choroid plexus. However, a little is known about the T4 transport in the developing brain, when the BBB is not yet completely formed.
We investigated the expression of SLCO1C1 in double transgenic mice, which were generated by recombination of bacterial Cre recombinase into the Slco1c1 locus (Slco1c1-Cre mice). It was demonstrated that SLCO1C1 is expressed in the neuronal cell lineage during brain development.
Results suggested that expression of SLCO1C1 may underlie the extraordinary sensitivity of specific neuronal populations to hypothyroxinaemia.