Role of brominated diphenly ether-209 in the differentiation of neural stem cells in vitro.

Brominated diphenly ether-209 (BDE-209, decaBDE) is among the most common flame retardants. In a previous study, it was confirmed that exposure to BDE-209 can decrease learning and memory in mice. However, it is still unknown whether BDE-209 has an effect on cultured neural stem cells (NSCs). To analyse the role of BDE-209 in the differentiation of neural stem cells, NSCs obtained from neonatal rats were cultured as neurospheres in DMEM/F12 medium that contained different concentrations of BDE-209 for 7 days. BDE-209 was found to inhibit neurite outgrowth and the differentiation of NSCs into neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. BDE-209 also enhanced the ratio of differentiation of NSCs into glial cells.