Effects of transforming growth factor-beta on deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis and iodine metabolism in porcine thyroid cells in culture.

The effect of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta on DNA synthesis and iodine metabolism was studied in cultured porcine thyroid cells. TGF-beta dose-dependently inhibited DNA synthesis stimulated by both insulin-like growth factor I and epidermal growth factor but did not affect the number or affinity of receptors for the two growth factors, suggesting that TGF-beta inhibits postreceptor events responsible for initiation of DNA synthesis. TGF-beta was a potent inhibitor of iodine metabolism. When porcine thyroid cells were cultured with TSH for 3 days in the presence of TGF-beta, TSH-induced iodide uptake and organification were reduced at rates that were dependent on the TGF-beta concentrations. The inhibition was detectable at TGF-beta concentrations as low as 50 pg/ml, and complete suppression was seen at 1 ng/ml. Only 6 h of exposure to TGF-beta resulted in a significant inhibition of TSH-induced iodine metabolism. Treatment of thyroid cells with TGF-beta for 3 days did not reduce cAMP production stimulated by TSH. Moreover, the intracellular cAMP level of thyroid cells cultured with TSH plus TGF-beta did not differ from that of cells cultured with TSH alone. TGF-beta decreased iodide uptake stimulated by forskolin or 8-bromo-cAMP. These results strongly suggest that TGF-beta inhibits TSH-stimulated iodine metabolism, at least in part, by affecting events subsequent to cAMP production. The physiological role of TGF-beta remains to be determined, but it may be involved in the regulation of thyroid cell growth and function.