Prenatal
hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) exposure
may disrupt fetal brain development during the critical period of
thyroid hormone (TH) action. However, there are limited studies on
the OH-PCB transfer to the fetal brain, particularly in primates.
In this study, we selected the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) as a model animal for the fetal transfer of OH-PCBs in humans and
revealed OH-PCB concentrations and their relationships in maternal
and fetal blood, liver, and brain. l-thyroxine (T4)-like
OH-PCBs including 4OH-CB187, a major congener in humans, were found
in high proportions in the blood, liver, brain, and placenta of pregnant
Japanese macaques. OH-PCBs were detected in the fetal brain and liver
in the first trimester, indicating their transfer to the brain in
the early pregnancy stage. 4OH-CB187 and 4OH-CB202 were the major
congeners found in fetal brain, indicating that these T4-like OH-PCBs
are transported from maternal blood to the fetal brain via the placenta.
These results indicate that further studies are needed on the effects
of OH-PCBs on the developing fetal brain.
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