Effects of cytokines on expression of thyrotropin receptor mRNA in rat preadipocytes

Cultured rat preadipocytes express thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) during their differentiation. To evaluate the effects of inflammatory cytokines on the expression of TSHR in cultured rat preadipocytes, we cultured those cells in the presence of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rhTNF)-alpha, recombinant human interferon (rhIFN)-gamma, and human transforming growth factor (hTGF)-beta1. The effects on the level of TSHR mRNA and signal transduction were evaluated. Addition to the medium of 1 ng/mL TNF-alpha, 1 ng/mL rhIFN-gamma, and 1 ng/mL hTGF-beta1 during the differentiation of rat preadipocytes inhibited the expression of TSHR mRNA. The decrease in TSHR mRNA was accompanied by a decrease in TSH-stimulated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production. Histochemical analysis showed that these cytokines inhibited the morphological differentiation of the cells. These cytokines also decreased the expression of mRNA for such fat-specific proteins as lipoprotein lipase and aP2. Results indicate that the loss of expression and function of the TSHR is closely related to the inhibition of differentiation. This confirms the close relation between the expression of the TSHR and the differentiation of the rat preadipocytes.