Thyroid Disruption by Low-Dose BDE-47 in Prenatally Exposed Lambs

Vol. 96, No. 2, 2009

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Original Paper

Thyroid Disruption by Low-Dose BDE-47 in Prenatally Exposed Lambs
Nadia Abdelouahab^a, Alexander Suvorov^a, Jean-Charles Pasquier^a, Marie-France Langlois^b, Jean-Paul Praud^c, Larissa Takser^a

^aDépartement d'Obstétrique et de Gynécologie,
^bService d'Endocrinologie, Département de Médecine,
^cDépartement de Pédiatrie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Qué., Canada

Address of Corresponding Author

Neonatology 2009;96:120-124 (DOI: 10.1159/000209316)

Key Words

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers
Sheep, pregnancy
Thyroid hormones
2,2',4,4'-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) at levels reported for human populations affect the thyroid state in pregnant sheep and lambs. Pregnant sheep were exposed to vehicle or BDE-47 (0.2, 2 and 20 µg/kg b.w.) from the 5th to 15th week of gestation by intravenous injections weekly. Thyroid hormone levels and BDE-47 content in the blood of sheep and lambs and adipose tissue were analyzed. We observed a significant decrease in total T₄ and T₃ in exposed lambs without any effect in pregnant sheep. Our finding indicates that prenatal low-dose PBDE exposure results in PBDE storage in fat of offspring and can affect thyroid metabolism in the developing fetus.

Author Contacts

Larissa Takser, MD, PhD, Département d'Obstétrique et de Gynécologie
Faculté de Médecine, Université de Sherbrooke
3001, 12e avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Qué. J1H 5N4 (Canada)
Tel. +1 819 346 1110, ext. 15809, Fax +1 819 820 6434
E-Mail larissa.takser@usherbrooke.ca

Article Information

This work was partially presented at the International Congress of Toxicology, July 15-19, 2007, Montreal, Canada.

Received: February 9, 2008
Accepted after revision: September 25, 2008
Published online: March 24, 2009
Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 28

Medline Abstract (ID 19321978)

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