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Updated: Jul 26, 2025

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Endocrine disrupting and carcinogenic effects of decabromodiphenyl ether
Yi Wang1, Xinpei Wang1,2, Shaofeng Sui3
1Department of Pathology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Background:
Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209), an essential industrial flame retardant that is widely used, has recently been reported to be increasing in human serum. Due to the structural similarity between BDE209 and thyroid hormones, its toxic effects on the thyroid are of particular concern.
Methods:
Original articles in the PubMed database were collected using the terms "BDE209", "decabromodiphenyl ether", "endocrine disrupting", "thyroid", "carcinogenesis", "polybrominated diphenyl ethers", "PBDEs," and their synonyms from inception up to October of 2022.
Results:
Of the 748 studies initially identified, 45 were selected, which emphasized the adverse effects of BDE209 on endocrine system. BDE209 may have a toxic effect not only on thyroid function but also on thyroid cancer tumorigenesis at multiple levels, such as by directly interfering with the TR, hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, enzyme activity, and methylation. However, it is impossible to draw a definitive conclusion on the exact pathway of thyroid toxicity from BDE209.
Conclusions:
Although the toxic effects of BDE209 on the thyroid have been well investigated, its tumorigenic effects remain unclear and further research is necessary.
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