Extracellular adenosine triphosphate completely reverses the thyrotropin-induced morphological change in FRTL-5 cells

We quantified the TSH-induced morphological change in FRTL-5 thyroid cells according to a morphological index corresponding to the mean cell area measured from microscopic photographs. Within 15 min, TSH induced, at 10 pM and higher concentrations, a decrease in morphological index together with a rise in cAMP levels in a TSH dose-dependent manner. Forskolin, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and RO 20-1724, the latter two being phosphodiesterase inhibitors, mimicked these TSH effects, indicating that the rise in cAMP levels is responsible for the TSH effect. Extracellular ATP and its derivatives, known as purinergic receptor agonists, decreased cAMP levels and caused a complete reversal of the TSH morphological effect. Prior exposure of the cells to islet-activating protein (pertussis toxin), the depletion of extracellular Ca2+, or the addition of low doses of protein kinase-C inhibitors completely abolished the inhibitory action of ATP on the TSH effect, whereas phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, which activates protein kinase-C, mimicked the ATP action to some extent. Thus, although the TSH-induced change in cell morphology seems to be dependent on cAMP levels, the inhibition of TSH action by ATP seems to be mediated by at least two signal transduction pathways involving islet-activating protein substrate G-proteins: one inhibiting adenylate cyclase and the other involving Ca2+ and protein kinase-C.