Effects of protein kinase C activators on the in-vitro action of thyrotrophin in pigs

Abstract

The ability of the non-phorbol protein kinase C (PKC) activator 12-hydroxy-daphnetoxin (mezerein) to modulate differentiated thyroid function was examined in vitro. A dose-dependent inhibition of TSH-stimulated iodide organification was observed in porcine thyroid cells exposed to mezerein. Under identical conditions mezerein caused the translocation of PKC from its inactive cytosolic form to an active membrane-bound form in thyroid cell extracts. The relative biological potencies of mezerein and the phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), to inhibit thyroid function in vitro corresponded to their abilities to activate PKC. This effect was also observed when dibutyryl cyclic AMP was used, implying a post-receptor site of action. To provide further evidence for this concept, the effects of mezerein and TPA on receptor-related events were studied. Neither mezerein nor TPA had any effect on the binding of radiolabelled TSH to solubilized porcine thyroid membranes. However, both mezerein and TPA were capable of stimulating cyclic AMP (cAMP) production in porcine thyroid cells in the basal state but could not augment TSH or forskolin-activated cAMP release. These data provide evidence that activation of PKC plays a role in the regulation of differentiated thyroid function in vitro and suggest that the effects of PKC are complex, with independent actions on cAMP accumulation and post-receptor events.