Cited by 73Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicalsThyroid Disorders and TreatmentsToxic Organic Pollutants Impact

Human amniotic fluid contaminants alter thyroid hormone signalling and early brain development in Xenopus embryos

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Fini, Jean-Baptiste, Mughal, Bilal B., Le Mével, Sébastien, Leemans, Michelle, Lettmann, Mélodie, Spirhanzlova, Petra, Affaticati, Pierre, Jenett, Arnim +1 more·2017·Scientific Reports

Abstract

Thyroid hormones are essential for normal brain development in vertebrates. In humans, abnormal maternal thyroid hormone levels during early pregnancy are associated with decreased offspring IQ and modified brain structure. As numerous environmental chemicals disrupt thyroid hormone signalling, we questioned whether exposure to ubiquitous chemicals affects thyroid hormone responses during early neurogenesis. We established a mixture of 15 common chemicals at concentrations reported in human amniotic fluid. An in vivo larval reporter (GFP) assay served to determine integrated thyroid hormone transcriptional responses. Dose-dependent effects of short-term (72 h) exposure to single chemicals and the mixture were found. qPCR on dissected brains showed significant changes in thyroid hormone-related genes including receptors, deiodinases and neural differentiation markers. Further, exposure to mixture also modified neural proliferation as well as neuron and oligodendrocyte size. Finally, exposed tadpoles showed behavioural responses with dose-dependent reductions in mobility. In conclusion, exposure to a mixture of ubiquitous chemicals at concentrations found in human amniotic fluid affect thyroid hormone-dependent transcription, gene expression, brain development and behaviour in early embryogenesis. As thyroid hormone signalling is strongly conserved across vertebrates the results suggest that ubiquitous chemical mixtures could be exerting adverse effects on foetal human brain development.

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  • Fini et al. suggested that PFAS exposure, at concentrations similar to those found in human amniotic fluid, could interfere with thyroid hormone-dependent processes, affecting gene expression, transcription, and brain development during early embryogenesis.

    “The findings suggested that PFAS exposure, at concentrations similar to those found in human amniotic fluid, could interfere with thyroid hormone-dependent processes, affecting gene expression, transcription, and brain development during the early stages of embryogenesis.”

    From Industrial Applications, Environmental Fate, Human Exposure, and Health Effects of PFAS (2025) · cites this paper as [217]

    The Results section reports that PFOS and PFOA altered the thyroid-hormone transcriptional assay. The Abstract reports changes in brain gene expression and development after exposure to a 15-chemical mixture at concentrations found in human amniotic fluid. It does not establish that PFAS exposure alone caused those broader brain effects in early embryos. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Fini, J.-B., Mughal, B. B., Le Mével, S., Leemans, M., Lettmann, M., Spirhanzlova, P., Affaticati, P., Jenett, A., & Demeneix, B. A.
Affiliations
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
Corresponding author
Demeneix, Barbara A.
Venue
Scientific Reports
Published
2017-03-07
Volume
7
Issue
1
Pages
43786-43786
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2593039170
Cited by
73
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 5
FWCI
5.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • ORBi (University of Liège) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • European Commission (2014-122, 607142, 634880)
  • Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-II-INBS-0014, ANR-13-CESA-0017, II-INBS-0014)
  • Ministry of Environment
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
  • Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle
  • U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Thyroid Disorders and Treatments
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
Keywords
thyroid hormone signaling, human amniotic fluid, chemical mixtures, endocrine disruptors, brain development, neurogenesis, Xenopus embryo, deiodinases, thyroid hormone receptor, neuronal differentiation, oligodendrocytes, behavioral effects, developmental toxicity, maternal thyroid hormones
MeSH terms
Amniotic Fluid, Animals, Brain, Cell Differentiation, Embryo, Nonmammalian, Female, Humans, Larva, Neurons, Thyroid Hormones, Xenopus laevis, Signal Transduction, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Animals, Genetically Modified, Endocrine Disruptors

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