Chlorinated Flame-Retardant Dechlorane 602 Potentiates Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells and Exacerbates Airway Inflammation

Environ Sci Technol. 2021 Jan 19;55(2):1099-1109. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03758. Epub 2020 Dec 30.

Abstract

Chlorinated flame-retardant dechloranes are emerging substitutes for restricted flame retardants. Recent studies have demonstrated that they are accumulated in wildlife and detectable in humans; however, their effects on human health are poorly understood. Here, for the first time, we revealed that widely used chlorinated flame-retardant dechlorane 602 (Dec 602) exacerbated airway inflammation in two mouse models induced by house dust mite (HDM) or IL-33, respectively. Deteriorated airway inflammation by Dec 602 was associated with a higher production of type 2 cytokines including IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, and IgE, accompanied by enhanced mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6. Mechanistically, we found that Dec 602 directly potentiated mouse and human group 2 innate lymphoid cells and, as such, promoted airway inflammation even in the absence of conventional T cells in Rag -/- mice. These findings provide novel immunological insights necessary for further studies of the health impact of emerging flame-retardant dechloranes including Dec 602.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Flame Retardants* / toxicity
  • Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Inflammation / chemically induced
  • Lymphocytes
  • Mice
  • Polycyclic Compounds

Substances

  • Flame Retardants
  • Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated
  • Polycyclic Compounds
  • dechlorane 602