The role of phospholipids in TSH stimulation of adenylate cyclase in thyroid plasma membranes

Treatment of bovine thyroid plasma membranes with phospholipase A or C inhibited the stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). In general, basal and NaF-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was not influenced by such treatment. When plasma membranes were incubated with 1–2 units/ml phospholipase A, subsequent addition of phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylserine but not phosphatidylethanolamine partially restored TSH stimulation. Phosphatidylcholine was more effective than phosphatidylserine in that it caused greater restoration of the TSH response and smaller amounts of phosphatidylcholine were active. However, when the TSH effect was obliterated by treatment of plasma membranes with 10 units/ml phospholipase A, phospholipids were unable to restore any response to TSH. Lubrol PX, a nonionic detergent, inhibited basal, TSH- and NaF-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities in thyroid plasma membranes. Although phosphatidylcholine partially restored TSH stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of Lubrol PX, it did not have a similar effect on the stimulation induced by NaF. These results indicate that phospholipids are probably essential components in the system by which TSH stimulates adenylate cyclase activity in thyroid plasma membranes. The effects do not seem to involve the catalytic activity of adenylate cyclase but the data do not permit a distinction between decreased binding of TSH to its receptor or impairment of the signal from the bound hormone to the enzyme activity.