Phorbol ester and phospholipase C-mediated differentiated thyroid function in vitro: the effects of protein kinase C inhibition and downregulation.

Tumor-promoting phorbol esters, e.g., 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), inhibit TSH-stimulated iodide organification in vitro implying a role for protein kinase C (PKC) in the regulation of differentiated thyroid function. To further explore the PKC dependence of this action of TPA, we studied the effects of PKC inhibition and downregulation on phorbol-mediated differentiated thyroid function in vitro. In addition, the effects of the nonphorbol PKC activator, phospholipase C (PLC) were studied. TPA (100 nM) inhibited TSH-stimulated iodide organification in cultured porcine thyroid cells by over 95% and caused PKC translocation in vitro. Exogenous PLC (1 U/mL) could mimic these effects of TPA. The PKC inhibitor, 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7) inhibited TSH-stimulated iodide organification at concentrations exceeding 10 microM. However, partial recovery of phorbol- and PLC-inhibited iodide organification was seen in the presence of identical concentrations of H7. H7 had no effect on PKC translocation in porcine thyroid cell extracts. After 24 h of TPA treatment to induce PKC downregulation, no recovery of TSH-stimulated iodide organification was observed, suggesting that the effects of TPA were irreversible. These studies indicate that the effects of TPA and PLC on differentiated thyroid function are mediated, at least in part, by PKC. These findings provide further evidence for a role for PKC in the regulation of differentiated thyroid function.