Effects of tetrabromobisphenol A, brominated flame retardant, in ICR mice after prenatal and postnatal exposure

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology Vol. 44; no. 8; pp. 1408 - 1413
• Main Authors: Tada, Y., Fujitani, T., Yano, N., Takahashi, H., Yuzawa, K., Ando, H., Kubo, Y., Nagasawa, A., Ogata, A., Kamimura, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2006; New York, NY Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Alanine Transaminase - blood; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Body Weight - drug effects; Cholesterol - blood; Female; Flame retardant; Flame Retardants - pharmacology; Kidney - anatomy & histology; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - pathology; Lipid metabolism; Litter Size - drug effects; Liver - anatomy & histology; Liver - drug effects; Liver - pathology; Liver lesion; Male; Maternal Exposure; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Organ Size - drug effects; Polybrominated Biphenyls - pharmacology; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Tetrabromobisphenol A; Toxicology; Triglycerides - blood; Flame retardant; Mice; Liver lesion; Lipid metabolism; Tetrabromobisphenol A; Digestive system; Liver; Rodentia; Lipids; Metabolism; Prenatal; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Postnatal; Mouse; Animal; Lesion
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2006.03.006
• ISSN: 0278-6915

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), brominated flame retardant, is produced in the largest amounts globally for use in plastics or building materials. TBBPA has been detected in sediment, air at the dismantling plant or human serum samples. In the present study, we examined the effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to TBBPA in mice. TBBPA (99.1% pure) in diet was administered to pregnant ICR mice at doses of 0% (control), 0.01%, 0.1% or 1.0% from gestational day 0 to weaning at postnatal day 27. The average daily food intake and body weight of dams showed no significant differences between the control and treated groups. There were no dose-related effects on reproductive data. Serum concentrations of total-cholesterol and liver weights of treated dams and offspring were higher than those of the control mice. Histological findings in treated dams or offspring showed the increase of focal necrosis of hepatocytes and inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver, and increase of dilation or atrophy of renal tubules and cyst in the kidney. TBBPA was developed as a new, safe class of flame retardant and was not highly toxic. However, the present data suggested that TBBPA caused a lipid metabolic disorder and hepatic or kidney lesion, under these conditions.