Tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS) causes non-negligible and multigenerational reproductive toxicity in zebrafish

Wenhui Qiu; Shuai Liu; Xinyuan Kang; Yu Liu; Bentuo Xu; Chenyuan Pan; Jason Tyler Magnuson; Xin Yang; Jing Zheng; Chunmiao Zheng; Elvis Genbo Xu

doi:10.1021/acs.est.5c07904

USGS · 70277064

Tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS) causes non-negligible and multigenerational reproductive toxicity in zebrafish

Wenhui Qiu·Shuai Liu·Xinyuan Kang·Yu Liu·Bentuo Xu·Chenyuan Pan·Jason Tyler Magnuson·Xin Yang·Jing Zheng·Chunmiao Zheng·Elvis Genbo Xu

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Abstract

Tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS) is one of the most extensively used brominated flame retardants detected in the environment. Despite its widespread presence, the effects of persistent environmental exposure to TBBPS on the reproductive system remain unclear, raising significant health concerns. Here, using the zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) model, we identified significant intergenerational endocrine disruption and reproductive toxicity induced by TBBPS after a life-cycle (150 days) of parental exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of TBBPS (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μg/L). TBBPS interfered with hormone levels and the expression of genes within the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis in both F0 males and females, leading to reduced embryo quality. The parental transmission of TBBPS also impacted the endocrine and reproductive systems of the F1 fish, including the increase of gonadotropin-releasing hormone 3 neuron numbers, changes in hormone levels, and a decrease in embryo numbers. F2 fish also displayed endocrine disruption, even in the absence of detectable TBBPS residues, evidenced by altered fertilization rates and vitellogenin levels. Together, our findings show that exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of TBBPS can induce reproductive toxicity that persists across generations, weakening the endocrine system and early growth in offspring by disrupting the HPG axis. These data provide critical insight into the persistent health risks posed by TBBPS.

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Wenhui Qiu, Shuai Liu, Xinyuan Kang, Yu Liu, Bentuo Xu, Chenyuan Pan, Jason Tyler Magnuson, Xin Yang, Jing Zheng, Chunmiao Zheng, Elvis Genbo Xu. 2025-11-24. Tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS) causes non-negligible and multigenerational reproductive toxicity in zebrafish. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c07904

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