Endocrine Abstracts

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a brominated flame retardant and is widely used in electronic goods, plastics, and furniture. TBBPA is frequently detected in water, soil, organisms and even in human breast milk. Though some regulatory agencies have asserted that consumer exposures to TBBPA are unlikely to have adverse implications for human health, the reported evidence of endocrine-disruption of TBBPA has raised concerns regarding its effects on neurodevelopment and behavioral functions. The present study examined the effects of exposure to TBBPA on neurodevelopment. The Developmental Neurotoxicity Test (DNT) was performed to determine whether TBBPA is a developmental neurotoxicant. Additionally, maternal mice were administered 0, 0.24 and 2.4 mg/kg TBBPA. Mice offspring underwent behavioral tests for assessment of locomotor, depressive, cognitive, and social behaviors. Gene expression pattern change at transcriptional level in the brain was investigated with real-time PCR. As a result, TBBPA was classified as a developmental neurotoxicant from the DNT. In addition, the behavioral experiments revealed gender-specific effects. In females, only a deterioration of the motor ability was observed. In contrast, deteriorations in motor function, memory, and social interaction were noted in males. Aberrant expression of several genes, such as Na+/Ca2+ exchanger 2 (NCX2), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and oxytocin (OXT), were found in the brains of TBBPA-treated mice offspring. To summarize, these findings suggest that perinatal exposure to TBBPA interferes with brain development and behavioral functions in mice. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to the potential effects of TBBPA in the early development of brain.