The phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid stimulates the TSH-induced G1-S phase transition in thyroid cells.
Protein phosphorylation plays an essential role in regulating many cellular processes in eukaryotes. Signal transduction mechanisms that are reversibly controlled by protein phosphorylation require also protein phosphatases (PPs). Okadaic acid (OA), which is a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and protein phosphatase 1, elicits phosphorylation of many proteins in unstimulated cells and induces different cellular responses, including transcriptional activation, shape changes, and pseudomitotic state. In this study, the effects of OA on rat thyroid cells (FRTL-5 strain) were analyzed to evaluate the role of serine/threonine phosphatases in hormone-induced thyroid cell proliferation. OA at a concentration range between 0.1 and 1 nM stimulated thyroid cell growth. Furthermore, 0.25 nM OA increased about 3.5-fold the thyrotropin (TSH)-induced DNA synthesis in quiescent cells. OA treatment also stimulated cell proliferation induced by drugs that mimic TSH effect, such as 8Br-cAMP and cholera toxin, suggesting that PP2A activity was relevant in the cAMP pathway activated by the hormone. Flow cytometry experiments showed that OA significantly increased the fraction of TSH-stimulated quiescent cells entering the S phase. In order to define the mechanisms underlying the observed stimulatory effect of OA on thyroid cell growth, expression of genes relevant in the G1-S phase transition was evaluated. A 2-fold increase in the level of cyclin D1 mRNA expression was found by Northern blot analysis in OA-treated cells. Although cdk2 gene expression was not modulated by the same OA treatment, an increase in Cdk2 protein was revealed by immunoprecipitation experiments. Moreover, OA modifies the phosphorylation pattern of the tumor suppressor retinoblastoma protein, a key event in the G1-S phase transition. Therefore, these experiments reveal that PP2A phosphatases play an important role in thyroid cell growth and can act at multiple sites in the TSH pathways driving cells to S phase.
Lazzereschi
D
D
Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Patologia, Facoltà di Medicinae Chirurgia, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Coppa
A
A
Minicione
G
G
Lavitrano
M
M
Fragomele
F
F
Colletta
G
G
D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019938:Cyclin D1; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D016213:Cyclins / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression; D019319:Okadaic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D054645:Protein Phosphatase 1; D054648:Protein Phosphatase 2; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016196:S Phase / Q000187:drug effects*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000166:cytology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000494:pharmacology
D016213:Cyclins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D019938:Cyclin D1; D019319:Okadaic Acid; D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate; D013972:Thyrotropin; D004247:DNA; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; C495892:Cdk2 protein, rat; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D054645:Protein Phosphatase 1; D054648:Protein Phosphatase 2