Forskolin, 8-Br-3′,5′-Cyclic Adenosine 5′-Monophosphate, and Catalytic Protein Kinase A Expression in the Nucleus Increase Radioiodide Uptake and Sodium/Iodide Symporter Protein Levels in RET/PTC1-Expressing Cells

Abstract

Abstract RET/PTC1, a thyroid-specific oncogene, has been reported to down-regulate sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) expression and function in vitro and in vivo. Recently, RET/PTC1 has been shown to interfere with TSH signaling at multiple levels in thyroid cells. The objective of this study was to investigate whether RET/PTC1-mediated NIS reduction can be rescued by activating cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA) pathways. We showed that both forskolin and 8-Br-cAMP increase radioiodide uptake and NIS protein in RET/PTC1-expressing cells to the same extent as the parental PC Cl 3 cells. We found that RET/PTC1 decreases nuclear localization of catalytic PKA, and forskolin treatment was able to counteract this RET/PTC1 effect. Furthermore, transient expression of catalytic PKA in the nucleus increased radioiodide uptake and NIS protein in RET/PTC1-expressing cells. Taken together, these studies suggest that RET/PTC1 down-regulates NIS expression by interrupting TSH/cAMP signaling, and this RET/PTC1 effect can be reversed by activating cAMP-PKA pathways.