Per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS) are a group of environmental
pollutants that have been linked to a variety of health problems in
humans, including the disruption of thyroid functions. Herein, for
the first time, the impact of PFAS on thyroid hormone synthesis is
shown. Mid- to long-chain PFAS impact thyroid hormone synthesis by
changing the local hydrogen bond network as well as the required orientation
of hormonogenic residues, stopping the production of thyroxine (T4).
Furthermore, the toxic effects of sulfonic PFAS are more prominent
than those of carboxylic PFAS, highlighting that the exposure to these
specific compounds can pose greater problems for thyroid homeostasis.