Thyroglobulin secretion by human thyroid cells after monolayer culture--comparison of normal and adenomatous cells.

We have analysed immunoassayable thyroglobulin (hTg) secretion from both normal and abnormal isolated human thyroid cells after short-term monolayer culture. All cells were sensitive to more than 10 microU/ml bTSH when assessed by intracellular cyclic AMP accumulation in the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. hTg release was stimulated in all cells by bTSH in a dose related manner and with a detectable response within 24 h. Basal hTg secretion rates were greater in cells derived from benign follicular adenomata (range 1.1-2.2 ng/10(5) cells/h, n = 4) than in normal human thyroid cells (range 0.1-0.65 ng). Therefore it appears likely that hTg secretion by adenomatous thyroid cells was a likely contributor to increased serum hTg in patients with single follicular adenomata. We conclude that simple human thyroid cell monolayers have potential for the further study of hTg secretion and its control by TSH.