Thyrotropin Acts as a T-Cell Developmental Factor in Mice and Humans

Using gene expression profiling, we detected differential thyrotropin receptor (TSH-R) expression during human T-cell development in the thymus. This expression pattern indicated a potential role for the TSH-R within the thymus, independent of its function in the thyroid gland. Here, we demonstrate that TSH-R expression is thymus-specific within the immune system. TSH was able to bind and activate the TSH-R present on thymocytes, thereby activating calcium signaling and cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling pathways. Mice lacking functional TSH-R expression (hyt/hyt mice) were shown to have lower frequencies of DP and SP thymocytes compared to their heterozygous littermates. Moreover, addition of TSH to co-cultures of human thymocytes enhanced T-cell development. Thus, TSH acts as a previously unrecognized growth factor for developing T cells, with potential clinical use to enhance thymic output and thereby the functional T-cell repertoire in the periphery. The direct effects of TSH on thymocytes may also explain the thus far enigmatic thymic hyperplasia in Graves' disease.