title: Hormonal effects of tetrabromobisphenol A using a combination of in vitro and in vivo assays.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the hormonal effects of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in vitro on recombinant yeasts and in vivo on mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis). The in vitro bioassays for (anti-)androgenic activities showed that TBBPA had a weak androgenic activity in vitro with recombinant yeast systems carrying human androgen receptor (hAR). In the in vivo bioassays, the gene expression patterns of vitellogenin (Vtg), estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), and androgen receptors (ARα and ARβ) in adult males and juveniles after exposure to TBBPA for 60 days were evaluated. Significant up-regulation of Vtg, ERα, and ERβ mRNAs was observed in the liver after exposure to 500 nM of TBBPA. In the testis, the lowest concentration of TBBPA (50 nM) markedly induced Vtg, ERβ, and ARβ mRNA expression, but the same concentration significantly inhibited ARα mRNA expression. In addition, in juveniles, 100 nM of TBBPA significantly up-regulated the expression of Vtg, ERβ, and ARα mRNAs. However, TBPPA did not cause histological alterations in the liver and testis of adult male mosquitofish. The results from this present study suggest that TBBPA could display low but multiple hormonal activities despite its low toxicity to mosquitofish.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China. huang_gyh@sina.com
authors.forename: Guo-Yong
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Guang-Guo
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: Yan-Qiu
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jian-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: You-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003532:Cyprinodontiformes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000494:pharmacology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C410798:AR protein, human; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D014819:Vitellogenins; C020806:tetrabromobisphenol A