In utero and lactational exposures to low doses of polybrominated diphenyl ether-47 alter the reproductive system and thyroid gland of female rat offspring.
BACKGROUND
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are capable of disrupting thyroid hormone homeostasis. PBDE-47 (2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether) is one of the most abundant congeners found in human breast adipose tissue and maternal milk samples.


OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the effects of developmental exposure to low doses of PBDE-47 on the female reproductive system.


METHODS
Pregnant Wistar rats were administered vehicle (peanut oil) or PBDE-47 [140 or 700 microg/kg body weight (bw)] on gestation day (GD) 6, or 5 mg 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU)/L in the drinking water from GD7 through postnatal day (PND) 21.


RESULTS
In female offspring sacrificed on PND38, there was a significant decrease in ovarian weight after exposure to PTU or 140 microg/kg PBDE-47. Alterations in folliculogenesis were apparent: we observed a decrease in tertiary follicles and serum estradiol concentrations in the offspring exposed to either PTU or 700 microg/kg PBDE-47. PTU exposure also resulted in a decrease in primordial follicles. On PND100, persistent effects on the thyroid glands included histologic and morphometric changes after exposure to either PTU or PBDE-47. No relevant changes in reproductive indices were observed after mating the exposed F1 females with nontreated males.


CONCLUSIONS
Administration of PBDE-47 at doses relevant to human exposure led to changes in the rat female reproductive system and thyroid gland.
Talsness
Chris E
CE
Department of Toxicology, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité University Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany. chris.talsness@charite.de
Kuriyama
Sergio N
SN
Sterner-Kock
Anja
A
Schnitker
Petra
P
Grande
Simone Wichert
SW
Shakibaei
Mehdi
M
Andrade
Anderson
A
Grote
Konstanze
K
Chahoud
Ibrahim
I
D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D007774:Lactation; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; C511295:2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether; D004958:Estradiol; D001141:Aromatase