The role of calcium and guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate in the action of acetylcholine on thyroid metabolism.

The role of calcium and guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP) in the regulation of thyroid metabolism has been investigated in dog thyroid slices. Carbamoylcholine enhanced glucose carbon-1 oxidation, protein iodination, cyclic GMP accumulation and decreased thyrotropin-induced adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) accumulation and iodine secretion; it did not affect protein synthesis. The effects of carbamoylcholine were reproduced under various experimental conditions by supplementary calcium in the medium, ouabain, and in media in which Na+ had been replaced by choline chloride. They were inhibited by lanthanum. These results further support the hypothesis that free intracellular Ca2+ is the intracellular signal for carbamoylcholine effects and suggest that a Na+ -gradient-driven Ca2+ extrusion mechanism operates in the thyroid cell. Mn2+ reproduced the effect of Ca2+ on glucose oxidation, protein iodination and cyclic GMP accumulation in Ca2+ -depleted slices and medium, and thus mimicked some intracellular effects of Ca2+. On the other hand Mn2+ inhibited the carbamoylcholine effect on thyrotropin-induced thyroid secretion and cyclic AMP accumulation, and Ca2+ inhibited the Mn2+-induced cyclic GMP accumulation. This suggests that the two ions compete for the same channel. Similarly Mn2+ inhibited calcium effects in the presence of ionophore A23187. Procaine inhibited protein iodination under all conditions suggesting a primary effect; it also inhibited all carbamoylcholine and ouabain actions. However the drug did not inhibit the effects of choline chloride and its action was reversed by raising carbamoylcholine but not Ca2+ concentration; it is therefore doubtful that procaine acts by blocking Ca2+ channels. In media without added Ca2+, Mn2+ increased cyclic GMP accumulation but did not decrease thyrotropin-induced cyclic AMP accumulation or iodine secretion, which suggests that cyclic GMP cannot be the sole mediator of the latter two effects of carbamoylcholine.