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Common flame retardants may inhibit estradiol function
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Brominated flame retardants used in common consumer goods could disrupt endocrine function by mimicking estradiol, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the NIH.
“Due to structural similarity and in vitro evidence, [brominated flame retardants] BFRs may mimic hormones and interfere with their binding, transport and regulation,” researchers wrote. “…To further complicate matters, BFRs may act synergistically as endocrine disruptors, as suggested in studies involving [BFRs] BDE-47 and BDE-99.”
According to researchers, X-ray crystallography provided insight into the binding modes of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a commonly used BFR, and human metabolites of certain congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ether (3-OH-BDE-47) to the estrogen sulfotransferase.
Crystal analyses of adenosine-3’-5’diphosphate [PAP] and TBBPA bound to the human estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E1) showed that TBBPA was binding to the same binding pocket as estradiol, researchers wrote.
“Overall, the protein conformation of SULT1E1 with TBBPA bound is very similar to that with E2 bound with only a few minor changes in the substrate binding pocket,” they wrote.
These findings indicate that BFRs could impair endocrine function via hormone signaling, transport and metabolism, researchers wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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