Effects of phorbol esters on protein phosphorylation and free T3 release by mouse thyroid lobes

Phorbols stimulated 32P incorporation into several proteins in mouse thyroid lobes. Phosphoproteins (34 K and 23 K) were detected by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Among phorbols tested, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was the strongest stimulator of protein phosphorylation. On the other hand, TPA at 50-200 ng/ml significantly stimulated free T3 release by mouse thyroid lobes. The stimulatory effect of TPA was not additive to that of TPA or dibutyryl cAMP. TSH stimulation of free T3 release by mouse thyroid lobes, however, was significantly inhibited by H-7 (an inhibitor of protein kinase C) at a concentration of 50 microM. These results suggest that protein kinase C may play some role in thyroid hormone secretion by phosphorylating the endogenous substrates.