Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 26, 2026
Author Spotlight: Semi-Automated Isolation of the Stromal Vascular Fraction from Murine White Adipose Tissue Using a Tissue Dissociator
Published on: May 19, 2023
Interaction between thyrocytes and adipose tissue in vitro
Mihoko Yamamoto1, Kazuyoshi Uchihashi1, Shigehisa Aoki1
1Department of Pathology & Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
Insights
Adipose tissue fragments (ATFs) promote thyroid cell (thyrocyte) hypertrophy, lipid accumulation, and survival. Thyrocytes, in turn, modulate adipokine production from adipose tissue, suggesting a bidirectional regulatory relationship.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Cell Biology
- Histology
Background:
- The interaction between adipose tissue and thyrocytes is poorly understood.
- Investigating this crosstalk is crucial for understanding thyroid function and potential metabolic influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the bidirectional interaction between adipose tissue fragments (ATFs) and thyrocytes in a co-culture system.
- To determine the effects of ATFs on thyrocyte morphology, survival, and differentiation, and vice versa.
Main Methods:
- Co-culture of thyrocytes on ATF-embedded collagen gel.
- Utilized electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR, and ELISA.
- Investigated the roles of thyrotropin (TSH) and leptin in the interaction.
Main Results:
- ATFs promoted thyrocyte hypertrophy, polarization, lipid accumulation, and inhibited apoptosis.
- ATFs increased thyroglobulin (Tg) and PAX8 expression in thyrocytes.
- Thyrocytes decreased leptin and adiponectin concentrations while increasing their mRNA expression in ATFs.
- TSH enhanced ATF-induced thyrocyte hypertrophy and Tg expression, and thyrocyte-induced adipokine mRNA expression in ATFs.
- Leptin promoted thyrocyte hypertrophy and Tg expression, with TSH potentiating these effects.
Conclusions:
- Adipose tissue regulates thyrocyte morphology, survival, and differentiation, potentially via lipid accumulation and TSH synergy.
- Thyrocytes influence adipokine production from adipose tissue independently of TSH.
- Leptin plays a role in thyrocyte hypertrophy and differentiation, synergizing with TSH.
Abstract:
Adipose tissue (AT)-thyrocyte interaction is largely unknown. Here we described the interaction in a co-culture system, in which thyrocytes were cultured on AT fragment (ATF)-embedded collagen gel, using electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ATFs promoted the hypertrophy, polarization and lipid accumulation of thyrocytes. ATFs did not affect the growth of thyroyctes, and inhibited their apoptosis. ATFs increased the protein expression of thyroglobulin (Tg) and paired box gene 8 (PAX8) in thyrocytes. In turn, thyrocytes decreased the concentration of leptin and adiponectin, and increased the expression of these mRNAs in ATFs. Thyrotropin (TSH) enhanced the ATF-induced nuclear hypertrophy and Tg protein expression in thyrocytes, while TSH enhanced the thyrocyte-induced expression of leptin and adiponectin mRNAs in ATFs. Finally, leptin promoted the hypertrophy and Tg protein expression in thyrocytes. TSH enhanced these leptin-induced effects. The data indicate an active interaction between thyrocytes and AT, suggesting that (i) ATFs may serve to regulate the morphology, survival and differentiation of thyrocytes probably through lipid accumulation partly in a TSH-synergistic way; (ii) thyrocytes may affect adipokine production from ATFs in a TSH-independent manner; and (3) leptin may be related to the hypertrophy and differentiation of thyrocytes in a TSH-synergistic way.
