Deiodinise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Strips iodine atoms out of a chemical compound, especially a thyroid hormone or iodinated organic molecule
2. Takes iodine away from a substance by chemical or biological means, as the body does with certain thyroid hormones
3. Removes one or more iodine atoms from a molecule, typically through an enzymatic or reductive reaction

Etymology: Deiodinise is a technical coinage from chemistry and biochemistry, built from the prefix "de-", meaning "removal of" or "reversal of", and "iodinise", a verb formed from "iodine". Iodine itself takes its name from the Greek "ioeidēs", meaning "violet-coloured", because the element's vapour shows a striking violet hue when heated. Chemists added "-ise" to make "iodinise" mean "to treat or combine with iodine", and "de-" reverses that process. The most significant use of the term is in endocrinology. The thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) contain iodine, and the body converts T4 into the more active T3 by enzymes called deiodinases, which strip one iodine atom from the molecule. Because these enzymes control how strongly thyroid hormone acts in each tissue, the process has become a major subject of medical research. The verb itself describes this stripping action, and the enzymes take their name from it.

Synonyms: deiodinize

Antonyms: iodinate