The expression of thyrotropin receptor (TSH-R) on various cells derived from bone, including osteoblast-like rat osteosarcoma cells (UMR106 cells), was investigated. TSH receptor mRNA was detected in UMR106 cells by Northern blot analysis. 125I-labeled TSH binding analysis revealed specific high- and low-affinity binding sites (association constants of 5.6 x 10(9) M(-1) and 3.0 x 10(7) M(-1), respectively) on UMR106 cells. Recombinant TSH, but not recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin, increased cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production in a concentration-dependent manner in these cells. Furthermore, immunoglobulin Gs from patients with Graves' disease induced cAMP response in UMR106 cells, and the cAMP response index in this cell line correlated with thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb) activity detected by Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells transfected with rat TSH-R. We have also demonstrated that recombinant TSH increased cAMP production in human osteoblast-like osteosarcoma (MG63) cells and mouse primary osteoblastic cells. These results suggest that osteoblasts possess functional TSH-R and that abnormal bone metabolism in Graves' disease may be partly explained by the interaction of TSAb with TSH-R in osteoblasts in some patients.