POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS ACTIVATE THYROID GENE TRANSCRIPTION THROUGH EPIGENETIC MECHANISMS AND CREB PHOSPHORYLATION

Introduction: Polychlorinated biphenyls, also known as PCBs, are organochlorine compounds and flame retardants used as coolant fluids and lubricants for transformers, capacitors, and other industrial equipment that have been banned for over 25 years in many countries. Due to their persistence in the environment, humans were exposed to PCBs mainly through consuming contaminated food. Studies demonstrated alterations in T3, T4, and TSH serum concentrations in humans and rodents exposed to PCBs. However, the mechanisms involved in this dysregulation of the thyroid function induced by PCBs have never been reported.