Alterations in the sialylation and sulfation of secreted mouse thyrotropin in primary hypothyroidism

We investigated the effect of in , vivo hypothyroidism on the sialylation and sulfation of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) secreted by mouse pituitary explants. Oligosaccharides from secreted thyroid-stimulating hormone from hypothyroid animals contained greater sialic acid relative to sulfate in both α and β subunits. Aging per , se had little effect on thyroid-stimulating hormone sialylation or sulfation. Variable sialylation and sulfation demonstrates a mechanism for charge microheterogeneity of thyroid-stimulating hormone, and the increasing sialylation observed with hypothyroidism may functionally mediate the prolonged metabolic clearance that has been noted previously.