Mammary gland type I iodothyronine deiodinase is encoded by a short messenger ribonucleic acid.

Lactating rat mammary gland expresses a deiodinating activity that, on the basis of kinetic characteristics, corresponds to the so-called 5'-deiodinase type I (D1). In the present study we amplified and sequenced several D1 complementary DNA (cDNA) fragments from rat lactating mammary gland. The mammary cDNA was found to be identical to the previously reported rat liver cDNA in the coding region, but 465 nucleotides shorter on its 3'-untranslated region, suggesting that the D1 is the same in both tissues. D1 messenger RNA (mRNA) was also detected by reverse transcriptase-PCR in mammary glands from puberal and late pregnant rats, but not in virgin animals. Densitometric analysis showed a close and direct correlation between mRNA content and enzyme specific activity in mammary gland. Our results also show that rat liver contains both D1 mRNA forms and that the large form may respond to the thyroid status. These data suggest a differential and organ-specific expression of these mRNA forms, which could play a role in the functional regulation of D1 activity.