Effects of cyclosporins and transforming growth factor beta 1 on thyroid hormone action in cultured fetal rat limb bones.

To study the mechanism of action of thyroid hormones on bone, we examined the effects of immunosuppressive and nonimmunosuppressive cyclosporins, as well as of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1), 17 beta-estradiol (E2), and dihydroxytestosterone (DHT) on thyroxine (T4)- and triiodothyronine (T3)-stimulated bone resorption in fetal rat limb bones. The immunosuppressive cyclosporins A (CsA) and G (CsG) inhibited thyroid hormone (T4 + T3)-stimulated resorption and beta-glucuronidase release into the culture medium, whereas the weak or nonimmunosuppressive cyclosporins D (CsD) and H (CsH) did not show this effect. Increasing the medium calcium concentration reduced the ability of T4 to stimulate 45Ca release, while not significantly affecting the response to CsA. TGF beta 1 elicited a biphasic effect when administered together with T4. During the first 3 days of culture, TGF beta 1 elicited a small, nonsignificant decrease in released 45Ca; during a subsequent 3 days of culture, it enhanced T4-stimulated bone resorption significantly. These effects differed from those of TGF beta 1 on parathormone-stimulated resorption. E2 and DHT did not influence the action of T4 on bone tissue. These results suggest that the mechanism of action of thyroid hormones on bone may involve immune factors, as well.