Disparate effects of thyroid hormone on actions of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-alpha are mediated by 3',5'-cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase II.

Abstract

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and TGFalpha share the same plasma membrane receptor. In the present studies in HeLa cells, both EGF and TGFalpha caused MAPK (ERK1/2) activation and expression of the immediate-early gene c-fos. Thyroid hormone (T(4)) nongenomically enhanced EGF- and TGFalpha-induced MAPK activation. This T(4) action was duplicated by T(4)-agarose and blocked by tetraiodothyroacetic acid, which inhibits binding of T(4) to plasma membranes. TGFalpha-induced MAPK activation was potentiated by 8-bromo-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP) but not 8-chloro-cyclic adenosine monophosphate. TGFalpha, T(4), and 8-Br-cAMP each caused protein kinase A (PKA) II serine phosphorylation, whereas phosphorylation of PKA-II was not seen in cells treated with EGF or 8-chloro-cyclic adenosine monophosphate. In a PKA activity assay, the enzyme was stimulated by T(4), EGF, and TGFalpha; T(4) enhanced the effect of TGFalpha but not that of EGF. T(4), although it potentiated c-fos gene expression in EGF-treated cells, suppressed this effect in cells treated with TGFalpha. Cells exposed to 8-Br-cAMP also inhibited TGFalpha-stimulated c-fos expression. Studies of cell proliferation indicated that T(4) potentiated EGF action but inhibited that effect in TGFalpha-treated cells. The disparate effects of T(4) on actions of EGF and TGFalpha, which share the same cell surface receptor, are mediated by hormone phosphorylation and activation of PKA-II.