Styrene Trimer May Increase Thyroid Hormone Levels via Down-Regulation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) Target Gene UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase

Background Styrene trimers (STs) are polystyrene-container–eluted materials that are sometimes detected in packaged foods. Although the possible endocrine-disrupting effects of STs, such as estrogenic activities, have been reported, their potential thyroid toxicity, such as that caused by the related endocrine disruptor 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), has not been studied in detail.