[Effects of BDE-209 exposure on differentiation capacity of human embryonic stem cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of decabrominated biphenyl ether (BDE-209) exposure on differentiation capacity of human embryonic stem cells.

METHODS: Human embryonic stem cell line FY-hES-10 cells were exposed to the concentrations of 0 (solvent control), 1, 10 to 100 nmol/L BDE-209 for 96 h and then were differentiated into embryoid bodies (EBs) in vitro. The RNA of EBs derived from FY-hES-10 cells at Day 10 was collected. OCT4,three-layer differentiation-related genes (AFP,SMA and PAX6) and oxidative stress-related genes (HIF1a, HIF2a and SOD1) expression was detected by Q-PCR. The contents of SOD was measured by using kit.

RESULTS: Compared with the solvent control group, the expression levels of OCT4, SMA, HIF1a and HIF2a in BDE-209 exposure groups were increased, the expression levels of AFP, PAX6 and SOD1 were decreased, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). With the increase of the BDE-209 dose, the expression levels of OCT4 showed an increasing trend while the expression levels of SOD1 and the activity of the SOD showed a decreasing trend.

CONCLUSION: BDE-209 may interfere with differentiation capacity of human embryonic stem cells resulting in developmental toxicity.