The cardiovascular and electrophysiological effects of amiodarone resemble those of hypothyroidism. The drug has a structural resemblance to thyroid hormone (T3). Previous studies indicate that amiodarone exerts its major effect through antagonism of T3, probably as a result of inhibition of ligand binding to the thyroid hormone receptor (ThR). There are five subtypes of ThR, of which the beta 1 is the most prominent in the human heart. Our first aim was to investigate whether ThR is involved in a general antiarrhythmic mechanism for antiarrhythmic drugs or whether this action is specific for amiodarone. Therefore, we studied the affinity of one antiarrhythmic drug from every Vaughan-Williams group on T3 binding to human ThR beta 1 (hThR beta 1). Second, we wished to investigate whether amiodarone is a competitive or noncompetitive inhibitor. hThR beta 1, expressed in insect cells using a recombinant baculovirus, was used in regular binding competition assays. Disopyramide, lignocaine, propafenone, metoprolol, dl-sotalol, and verapamil had no effect on T3 binding to hThR beta 1. Amiodarone showed a noncompetitive binding pattern at low concentrations (0.25-2 microM) and a competitive binding at high concentrations (2-8 microM). Among the antiarrhythmics tested, only amiodarone had affinity for hThR beta 1. This may represent a novel type of antiarrhythmic mechanism. The finding that amiodarone, in concentrations corresponding to therapeutic range in plasma, shifts from a noncompetitive to a competitive inhibitor, is of clinical interest in comparisons of low- and high-dose treatment.