Vitamin D receptor binding and biological effects of cholecalciferol analogues in rat thyroid cells

The cholecalciferol analogues 1(S),3(R)-dihydroxy-20(R)-[3'(S)-cyclopropyl-3'-hydroxyprop-1'(E)- enyl]-9,10-secopregna-5(Z),7(E),10(19)-triene (calcipotriol, MC 903), 1(S),3(R)-dihydroxy-20(R)-[3'-ethyl-3'-hydroxy- pentoxy]-9,10-secopregna-5(Z),7(E),10(19)-triene (KH 1060) and 1(S),3(R)-dihydroxy-20(R)-[5'-ethyl-5'-hydroxy-hepta- 1',3'(E)-diene-1'-yl]-9,10-secopregna-5(Z),7(E),10(19)-triene (EB 1089) have been modified in the side chain to increase their effects on cell differentiation and proliferation and to reduce the risk of inducing hypercalcemia. The effects of these analogues were tested on FRTL-5 cells, a strain of continuously growing and well-differentiated rat thyroid cells. FRTL-5 cells express a normal vitamin D receptor (VDR), and 1,25-(OH)2D3 potently attenuates the thyrotropin (TSH) stimulated production of the intracellular signalling molecule 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), iodide uptake and cell growth of these cells. These effects were also induced by the cholecalciferol analogues after 4 days of incubation. KH 1060 was the biologically most potent of the analogues and, compared to KH 1060, the IC50 values were 1.2-, 2.7- and 14-fold higher when 1,25-(OH)2D3, EB 1089 and MC 903, respectively, were used for the displacement of receptor bound [3H]1,25-(OH)2D3. As indicated by their VDR binding, 1,25-(OH)2D3 and EB 1089 were equipotent inhibitors of the TSH stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity, iodide uptake and FRTL-5 cell growth. The analogue MC 903 was the second most potent inhibitor of cell growth in spite of expressing the lowest affinity for the VDR and the weakest inhibition of TSH-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity and iodide uptake. In conclusion, the biological effects of these cholecalciferol analogues in rat thyroid FRTL-5 cells seem to be mainly determined by their binding affinity for the VDR, although non-genomic effects can not be excluded.