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Author Spotlight: In Vivo Assessment of Thyroid Hormone Disruption Using the THAI Mouse Model
Published on: October 6, 2023
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Impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on thyroid function and brain development
Kingsley Ibhazehiebo1, Noriyuki Koibuchi2
1a Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada.
Expert Review of Endocrinology & Metabolism
|February 10, 2019
Summary
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with thyroid hormone (TH) systems, crucial for brain development. Exposure to EDCs during development can lead to serious consequences, impacting hormonal balance and neurological function.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Endocrinology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are environmental substances affecting hormonal systems.
- EDCs interfere with thyroid hormone (TH) synthesis, secretion, transport, metabolism, and action.
- TH is vital for proper brain development, making TH-system disrupting EDCs a significant concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize existing research on EDC effects on the TH system.
- To explore the molecular mechanisms of EDCs, specifically polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), on the TH system.
- To discuss the impact of PCBs and PBDEs on TH-mediated brain development.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of representative previous studies on EDCs and the TH system.
- Detailed discussion of molecular mechanisms of action for PCBs and PBDEs.
- Focus on the effects of these EDCs on TH-dependent brain development.
Main Results:
- EDCs disrupt the thyroid hormone system.
- PCBs and PBDEs exhibit specific molecular mechanisms affecting TH.
- Exposure to these EDCs during development poses risks to TH-mediated brain development.
Conclusions:
- EDCs pose a significant threat to endocrine and developmental health.
- Understanding the mechanisms of EDCs like PCBs and PBDEs is crucial for risk assessment.
- Further research, including recent studies, may offer novel insights into EDC impacts on the TH system and development.
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