Determination of thyroidal endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) activities using a human cell-based transactivation assay

Abstract

Background Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with physiological function by mimicking or blocking hormones; these chemicals enter the human body through various materials used in food packaging, among other routes. Thyroid hormones (THs) are very important hormones that control various basic physiological functions. Results In a previous study, we developed a TH agonist transactivation (TA) assay based on the A549 cell line. However, the assay using A549 showed some limitations, since it required 4 days to yield results and showed low sensitivity to the natural form of human triiodothyronine (T3). Therefore, in this study, we have developed a more sensitive TH TA assay based on a HeLa cell line to screen potential TH agonists. We evaluated the TH agonist activity of 17 chemicals, 5 of which showed TH agonist activity. Conclusions In conclusion, in comparison with the previously developed TA assay, the assay using HeLa cells provided greater accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, yielding more detailed results for TH agonist chemicals in less time.