A B S T R A C T The present experiments were designed to explore the mechanism whereby 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) stimulates the uptake of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) in rat thymocytes in vitro. Addition of T3 evoked a transient, dose-related increase in cellular cyclic (c) AMP concentrations, evident within 5 min, followed soon by an increase in 2-DG uptake. The effects of T3 on both cAMP concentration and 2-DG uptake were dependent upon the presence of extracellular calcium. Epinephrine also induced a sequential increase in thymocyte cAMP concentration and 2-DG uptake. These responses were more prompt than those to T3, but were calcium independent. As with their combined effects on 2-DG uptake, T3 and epinephrine produced synergistic or additive effects on cellular cAMP concentration. Dibutyryl cAMP also stimulated 2-DG uptake, an effect that was more prompt than that of epinephrine, and, like that of epinephrine, was calcium independent.Prior or simultaneous addition of L-alprenolol (10 AM), which, we have previously shown, blocks the effect of both T3 and epinephrine on 2-DG uptake, also blocked the increase in thymocyte cAMP concentration induced by these agents. In contrast, Lalprenolol failed to block the increase in 2-DG uptake produced by dibutyryl cAMP. On the basis of these observations we suggest that T3 increases 2-DG uptake in the rat thymocyte by increasing the cellular concentration of cAMP, which then acts to enhance sugar transport. The increase in 2-DG uptake induced by epinephrine is also mediated by an increase in cAMP concentration. The greater