Page 94 - GTM-4-2

Global Translational Medicine

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Thyroid morphology and functional alterations

in male and female rats with diet-induced
visceral obesity

Tatyana A. Mityukova* , Anastasia A. Basalai* , Tatyana E. Kuznetsova ,
Olga Y. Poluliakh , and Mikita S. Kastsiuchenka
Department of Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies and Medical Rehabilitation, Institute of
Physiology, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Republic of Belarus

Abstract
With obesity reaching epidemic proportions worldwide, its impact on thyroid
function is gaining increasing attention. Epidemiological studies show an
association between obesity, hypothyroidism, and circulating thyroid antibodies but
experimental research is needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying these
associations. This study aimed to investigate thyroid function indicators in male and
female rats subjected to a high-calorie diet for 16 weeks. We assessed mass-metric
indices, blood biochemical markers, thyroid morphometry, and tissue concentrations
of triglycerides, malonic dialdehyde (MDA), and thyroperoxidase (TPO) activity. The
*Corresponding authors: results revealed biochemical features of metabolic syndrome, including elevated
Tatyana A. Mityukova thyroxine (T4) levels in peripheral blood. Morphological analysis indicated steatosis
(mityukovat@gmail.com)
Anastasia A. Basalai and thyroid hypofunction, with increased triglyceride accumulation, decreased TPO
(anastasiya.basalay@gmail.com) activity, and lower MDA levels in the thyroid tissue. These findings suggest that
Citation: Mityukova TA, Basalai AA, visceral obesity in male and female rats promotes early signs of thyroid dysfunction,
Kuznetsova TE, Poluliakh OY, potentially leading to hypothyroidism.
Kastsiuchenka MS. Thyroid
morphology and functional
alterations in male and female rats Keywords: High-calorie diet; Visceral obesity; Rats; Thyroid function; Thyroid hormones;
with diet-induced visceral obesity.
Global Transl Med. 2025;4(2):86-95. Morphological changes
doi: 10.36922/GTM025080020
Received: February 22, 2025
Revised: March 28, 2025 1. Introduction
Accepted: April 1, 2025 The link between obesity and endocrine dysfunction, including thyroid pathology,
Published online: April 16, 2025 has been well established in many studies. As obesity reaches epidemic proportions
1
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). worldwide, this relationship has gained increasing clinical relevance. Thyroid hormones
This is an Open-Access article are known to play an important role in the regulation of metabolism. Elevated blood
distributed under the terms of the levels of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) increase resting energy expenditure
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution, (REE), reducing fat accumulation. These hormones increase REE through sodium-
and reproduction in any medium, potassium adenosine triphosphatase activity and activate the adrenergic nervous system
provided the original work is 2
properly cited. to enhance thermogenesis, particularly in cold conditions. This process, called “adaptive
thermogenesis,” occurs in brown adipose tissue through the thyroid hormone receptors
Publisher’s Note: AccScience 2
Publishing remains neutral with TRα and TRβ.
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional Obese individuals usually exhibit slightly elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone
3
affiliations. (TSH) levels, which correlate positively with body mass index (BMI). A characteristic

Volume 4 Issue 2 (2025) 86 doi: 10.36922/GTM025080020