Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Disruption of Thyroid Hormone Synthesis
Semiha Kevser Bali1, Rebecca Martin1, Nuno M S Almeida1
1Department of Chemistry and MSU Center for PFAS Research, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48864, United States.
Abstract:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of environmental pollutants that have been linked to a variety of health problems in humans, including the disruption of thyroid functions. Herein, for the first time, the impact of PFAS on thyroid hormone synthesis is shown. Mid- to long-chain PFAS impact thyroid hormone synthesis by changing the local hydrogen bond network as well as the required orientation of hormonogenic residues, stopping the production of thyroxine (T4). Furthermore, the toxic effects of sulfonic PFAS are more prominent than those of carboxylic PFAS, highlighting that the exposure to these specific compounds can pose greater problems for thyroid homeostasis.
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