Gestational Exposure to Perchlorate in the Rat: Thyroid Hormones in Fetal Thyroid Gland, Serum, and Brain

• DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfac038
• Publication Date: 2022-04-06T13:53:28Z
• Authors: Mary E Gilbert; Iman Hassan; Carmen Wood; Katherine L O’Sha...; Stephanie Spring; Susan Thomas; Jermaine Ford
• Keywords: Thyroid Hormones; 0303 health sciences; Perchlorates; Thyroid Gland; Brain; Rats; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Fetus; Pregnancy; Animals; Female; Iodine

Abstract Iodine is essential for the production of thyroid hormones. Perchlorate an environmental contaminant that interferes with iodine uptake into gland to reduce hormone synthesis. As hormones are critical brain development, exposure perchlorate during pregnancy concern developing fetal brain. In this study, we (1) define profiles in maternal and compartments pregnant rats response inhibition sodium-iodide symporter (NIS) by (2) expand inquiry previously limited serum include was added drinking water (0, 1, 30, 300, 1000 ppm) rat dams from gestational days (GD) 6–20. On GD20, blood, gland, were collected fetus dam molecular analyses. Thyroid dose-dependently reduced, steeper declines evident than dam. The revealed perturbations hormone-action greater sensitivity hormone-responsive gene expression reduced cortex portending effects on development. These findings first quantitative assessments perchlorate-induced deficits We provide a conceptual framework develop NIS adverse outcome pathway potential impact Such may also serve facilitate translation vitro bioactivity downstream vivo consequences fetus.