Sphingomyelinase and phospholipase A2 regulate type I deiodinase expression in FRTL-5 cells

We have previously reported (Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. (1994) 101, R31-R35) that the proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), have a marked inhibitory effect on the expression and activity of type I iodothyronine deiodinase (D1) in FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells, while the anti-inflammatory cytokine, transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) had no effect. These three proinflammatory cytokines utilize a number of intracellular second messenger systems including the pathways beginning with activation of sphingomyelinase and phospholipase A2. We have studied the time-dependent and dose-dependent effects of sphingomyelinase, ceramide, phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and arachidonic acid on the expression and activity of D1 in FRTL-5 cells. Sphingomyelinase (0.3 U/mL) inhibited D1 activity 55% and reduced D1 mRNA levels 70% to 90% by 8 hours. Similar treatment with 10 U/mL PLA2 inhibited D1 activity 54%. Treatment with 15 microM 5, 8, 11-eicosatriynoic acid (ETI), a nonmetabolizable analog of arachidonic acid, or 15 microM ceramide for 3 hours reduced D1 activity with a half-time of disappearance (t1/2) of 4.2 hours and 3.7 hours, respectively, but ETI and ceramide did not alter the D1 immunoreactivity or mRNA levels. Treatment for 8 hours with cycloheximide (5 or 10 micrograms/mL) had no effect on the D1 mRNA level, but blocked the TNF-induced reduction of this mRNA. We conclude that proinflammatory cytokines inhibit D1 expression and activity in FRTL-5 cells, in part, by activation of sphingomyelinase and PLA2 that results in (1) competitive inhibition of D1 activity by the enzymatic products ceramide and arachidonic acid and (2) reduction of D1 mRNA stability by protein synthesis-dependent mechanisms.