Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026

Elucidating the Metabolism of 2,4-Dibromophenol in Plants
Published on: February 10, 2023
Cell type-dependent agonist/antagonist activities of polybrominated diphenyl ethers
N Nakamura1, K Matsubara, S Sanoh
1Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan.
Abstract:
There have been many concerns expressed regarding the possible adverse effects of thyroid hormone-disrupting chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), since thyroid hormones play crucial roles in normal vertebrate development. A vast amount of PBDEs have been used as flame retardants for the last two decades and our environment has been contaminated with them. Some PBDEs, especially hydroxylated PBDEs, reportedly show an affinity to the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) and act as thyroid hormone agonists, but in other studies they were reported to inhibit the actions of thyroid hormones. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the binding affinities of PBDEs and their metabolites to TR and their ability to induce thyroid hormone-responsive transcription using luciferase reporter gene assays in two different cell lines, a pituitary cell line, MtT/E-2, and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The binding assay showed that many of the examined PBDEs have significant affinity to TR. Interestingly, some of these PBDEs, such as 4'-OH-BDE-17 and 2'-OH-BDE-28, acted as agonists in the reporter gene assay in MtT/E-2 cells, while they acted as antagonists in CHO cells. Our results demonstrated that whether PBDEs and their metabolites are TR agonists or antagonists depends on the cell type used in the assay, which may suggest that the thyroid hormone-disrupting actions of PBDEs differ among target tissues or species.
Related Concept Videos
Adrenergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship
Aromatic ring substitutions: Substituting the aromatic ring with –OH groups at positions 3 and 4 yields catecholamines (e.g., epinephrine), which have a high affinity for adrenoceptors. Hydrogen bonding between –OH groups and receptors enhances adrenergic activity.
Separation of the aromatic...
Cholinergic Antagonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship
Reversible inhibitors display short to medium durations of action. Short-acting agents include simple alcohols with...
Adrenergic Antagonists: Chemistry and Classification of ɑ-Receptor Blockers
Nonselective α-blockers: Nonselective α-blockers contain haloalkylamine or imidazoline moieties. Phenoxybenzamine, with a haloalkylamine...
Drug-Receptor Interaction: Agonist
Agonists can bind to receptors in different ways. Some agonists bind directly to the receptor's active site, mimicking the endogenous ligand's action.
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship
The direct-acting...
