Endocrine effects of methoxylated brominated diphenyl ethers in three in vitro models

Methoxylated brominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-BDEs) in aquatic environments have been found to be primarily of natural origin in the marine environment and not from biotransformation of synthetic PBDEs. Two of the eight MeO-PBDEs (2′-MeO-BDE-68 and 6-MeO-BDE-47) that were detected in anchovy from the Yangtze River Delta, were natural products from marine organisms. So 2′-MeO-BDE-68 and 6-MeO-BDE-47 were chosen to study the potential to modulate androgen, estrogen, or thyroid hormone receptor- (AR, ER, ThR) mediated responses by use of reporter gene assays. 2′-MeO-BDE-68 was antiandrogenic at 50 μM, estrogenic at 10 μM and antiestrogenic at 10 and 50 μM (IC50 = 4.88 μM). 2′-MeO-BDE-68 enhanced luciferase expression by 5 nM T3 at 50 μM. 6-MeO-BDE-47 exhibited potent antiandrogenicity at 1 μM and greater (IC50 = 41.8 μM) and possessed estrogenic activity at 10 μM and antiestrogenic activity at 10 and 50 μM (IC50 = 6.02 μM).

► The endocrine effects of 2′-MeO-BDE68 and 6-MeO-BDE47 were studied in vitro. ► 2′-MeO-BDE68 was antiandrogenic, estrogenic and antiestrogenic. ► 2′-MeO-BDE68 could enhance luciferase expression by 5 nM T3 at 50 μM. ► 6-MeO-BDE47 also exhibited antiandrogenic, estrogenic and antiestrogenic activity.