Inhibition of TSH-induced hydrogen peroxide production by TNF-alpha through a sphingomyelinase signaling pathway.

Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been suggested to be related to the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases, nonthyroid illness, and other thyroid dysfunctions induced by infectious diseases. In relation to these, in vitro studies demonstrated that TNF-alpha influences growth and/or differentiated functions mediated by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), including 125I organification. In the present study, we found that TNF-alpha inhibits TSH-induced H2O2 production, which is an inevitable process for iodide organification, and hence thyroid hormone synthesis, in FRTL-5 thyroid cells. In the cells, TNF-alpha induced ceramide production and the addition of exogenous ceramide or sphingomyelinase treatment of the cells simulated TNF-alpha actions. Although TSH stimulation of H2O2 production is mediated by the phospholipase C (PLC)-Ca2+ pathway, TNF-alpha and exogenous and endogenous ceramide affected neither TSH-dependent PLC activation and Ca2+ mobilization nor TSH-induced cAMP accumulation but attenuated Ca(2+)-induced H2O2 production. We conclude that TNF-alpha, through a sphingomyelinase-ceramide pathway, regulates TSH-induced H2O2 production at steps beyond the Ca2+ mobilization step in the PLC-Ca2+ signaling pathway coupled to TSH. This suggests participation of TNF-alpha in thyroid disorder in hormone synthesis induced by thyroid disease associated with the activation of immune systems.