The flame retardant DE-71 (a mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers) inhibits human differentiated thyroid cell function in vitro

• Published in: PloS one 2017-06, Vol.12 (6), p.e0179858-e0179858
• Main Authors: Kronborg, Thit Mynster, Hansen, Juliana Frohnert, Rasmussen, Åse Krogh, Vorkamp, Katrin, Nielsen, Claus Henrik, Frederiksen, Marie, Hofman-Bang, Jacob, Hahn, Christoffer Holst, Ramhøj, Louise, Feldt-Rasmussen, Ulla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenoma - surgery; Adenosine monophosphate; Bioaccumulation; Biology and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Breastfeeding & lactation; Cell culture; Cells, Cultured; Chemical industry; Chemicals; Coding; Complications and side effects; Cyclic AMP; Cyclic AMP - metabolism; Cytotoxicity; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Endocrine disruptors; Endocrine Disruptors - pharmacology; Endocrinology; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Ethers; Fire retardant chemicals; Fire retardants; Flame retardants; Flame Retardants - pharmacology; Flammability; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - pharmacology; Homeostasis; Hormones; Humans; In vitro methods and tests; Inhibition; Medicine and Health Sciences; Metabolism; Monolayers; mRNA; PCB; Phase (cyclic); Physiological aspects; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polymerase chain reaction; Radioimmunoassay; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Research and Analysis Methods; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Studies; Thyrocytes; Thyroglobulin; Thyroglobulin - metabolism; Thyroid; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Gland - drug effects; Thyroid Gland - metabolism; Thyroid Neoplasms - surgery; Thyroid-stimulating hormone; Thyroid-stimulating hormone receptors; Thyroidectomy; Toxicity; Toxicology; Two phase
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179858

Normal thyroid function is essential for general growth and metabolism, but can be affected by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used worldwide to reduce flammability in different materials and are suspected to be EDCs. The production of the commercial Penta- and OctaBDE mixtures is banned, but DecaBDEs and existing products may leak PBDEs into the environment. Our aim was to investigate the effect of the PentaBDE mixture DE-71 on human thyroid cells in vitro. Primary human thyroid cells were obtained as paraadenomatous tissue and cultured in monolayers. The influence of DE-71 on cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and thyroglobulin (Tg) production was examined in the culture medium by competitive radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of thyroid-specific genes was performed on the exposed cell cultures. PBDE concentrations were determined in cellular and supernatant fractions of the cultures. DE-71 inhibited Tg-release from TSH-stimulated thyrocytes. At 50 mg/L DE-71, mean Tg production was reduced by 71.9% (range: 8.5-98.7%), and cAMP by 95.1% (range: 91.5-98.8%) compared to controls). Expression of mRNA encoding Tg, TPO and TSHr were significantly inhibited (p