Reverse T3 Dominance is a clinical presentation characterized by elevated levels of reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), an inactive metabolite of the primary thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4), relative to the active thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3). This condition indicates a state where the body preferentially shunts T4 into the inactive rT3 pathway, often in response to physiological stress, chronic illness, or caloric restriction, effectively creating a state of functional hypothyroidism at the cellular level despite normal TSH or T4 levels.
Origin
The term arose from the clinical and biochemical recognition of the non-thyroidal illness syndrome, or euthyroid sick syndrome, where peripheral deiodination pathways are altered. It highlights a dysfunction in the peripheral conversion of T4 to T3, a key step in thyroid hormone action. The concept is central to understanding subtle thyroid dysregulation that is often missed by standard thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) testing alone.
Mechanism
The mechanism is primarily driven by the increased activity of the Type 3 deiodinase enzyme (D3), which converts T4 into rT3, and the decreased activity of the Type 1 and Type 2 deiodinases (D1 and D2), which produce the active T3. This enzymatic shift is a protective, adaptive response by the body to conserve energy during periods of stress, starvation, or illness by slowing down the metabolic rate. The elevated rT3 then binds to T3 receptors, acting as an antagonist or blocking the binding of active T3, further inhibiting cellular metabolism.
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