Thyrotropin induces SOCS-1 (suppressor of cytokine signaling-1) and SOCS-3 in FRTL-5 thyroid cells

Mol Endocrinol. 2000 Mar;14(3):440-8. doi: 10.1210/mend.14.3.0433.

Abstract

TSH has multiple physiological roles: it is required for growth, differentiation, and function of the thyroid gland, and it regulates transcription of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-responsive genes in thyrocytes, including genes for the major histocompatibility complex and intercellular adhesion molecule-1. This report demonstrates that TSH induces the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-1 and -3 proteins and alters the phosphorylation state of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins STAT1 and STAT3. The expression of SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 and the phosphorylation state of STAT1 and STAT3 were examined after treatment with TSH or IFN-gamma in either TSH-sensitive FRTL-5 thyroid cells or TSH-insensitive FRT and buffalo rat liver (BRL) cells, which lack functional TSH receptors. SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 are constitutively expressed in FRTL-5 cells, but not in FRT and BRL cells. IFN-gamma up-regulated SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 RNA and protein in FRTL-5 cells, as reported previously for nonthyroid cells. Interestingly, TSH also significantly induced SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 in FRTL-5 cells, but not in FRT and BRL cells. When SOCS-1 or SOCS-3 was overexpressed in FRTL-5 cells, STAT1 phosphorylation at Y701 and STAT1/DNA complex formation in response to IFN-gamma were reduced. Furthermore, overexpression of either SOCS-1 or SOCS-3 significantly inhibited the IFN-gamma-mediated transactivation of the rat ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1) promoter. TSH and IFN-gamma had different effects on STAT1 and STAT3 phosphorylation. The phosphorylation of Y701 in STAT1, which is responsible for homodimer formation, nuclear translocation, and DNA binding, was specifically stimulated by IFN-gamma, but not by TSH or forskolin. However, the phosphorylation of S727 in STAT1 was induced by IFN-gamma, TSH, and forskolin. TSH induced phosphorylation of both Y705 and S727 in STAT3, while IFN-gamma phosphorylated only the Y705. In addition, we found that SOCS-3 was associated with JAK1 and JAK2 and that these associations were stimulated by TSH. These findings demonstrate that TSH induces SOCS in thyroid cells and provides the evidence of signal cross-talk between TSH and cytokines in thyroid cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antithyroid Agents / pharmacology
  • Carrier Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Colforsin / pharmacology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / genetics
  • Interferon-gamma / pharmacology
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Methimazole / pharmacology
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Protein Biosynthesis*
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational / drug effects
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Rats
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins*
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins
  • Thyroid Gland / drug effects*
  • Thyroid Gland / metabolism
  • Thyrotropin / pharmacology*
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors*

Substances

  • Antithyroid Agents
  • Carrier Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Immediate-Early Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • SOCS1 protein, human
  • SOCS3 protein, human
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor
  • STAT1 protein, human
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • Socs1 protein, rat
  • Socs3 protein, rat
  • Stat1 protein, rat
  • Stat3 protein, rat
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • cytokine inducible SH2-containing protein
  • Colforsin
  • Methimazole
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Thyrotropin
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases