RT Journal Article T1 Effects of dietary exposure of polycyclic musk HHCB on the metamorphosis of Xenopus laevis A1 Pablos, María Victoria A1 Jiménez Martínez, María de los Ángeles A1 San Segundo, Laura A1 Martini, Federica A1 Beltrán, Eulalia A1 Fernández, Carlos AB The compound 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-[γ]-2-benzopyrane (HHCB; galaxolide, Chemical Abstracts Service number 1222-05-5) is a synthetic musk used extensively as a fragrance in many consumer products and classified as an emerging pollutant. The ecotoxicological information available for HHCB addresses exposure via water, but this compound is frequently adsorbed into particulate matter. The goal of the present study was to assess the effects of dietary exposure to several environmentally relevant HHCB concentrations adsorbed in food during Xenopus laevis metamorphosis. The authors sought to determine if such exposure to this synthetic musk resulted in histological changes in the thyroid gland in conjunction with changes in development (staging, timing to metamorphosis), body weight, and length. Developmental acceleration on day 14, together with hypertrophy of the thyroid follicular epithelium in tadpoles, suggested a possible agonistic effect of HHCB, which would have been compensated after metamorphosis by regulatory mechanisms to maintain homeostasis. Further research into the potential thyroid-related mechanisms of action of HHCB should be conducted. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1428–1435. © 2015 SETAC. PB Wiley SN 0730-7268 YR 2016 FD 2016 LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/96893 UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/96893 LA eng NO Pablos, M. V., Jiménez, M. Á., San Segundo, L., Martini, F., Beltrán, E., & Fernández, C. (2016). Effects of dietary exposure of polycyclic musk HHCB on the metamorphosis of Xenopus laevis. Environmental toxicology and chemistry, 35(6), 1428–1435 NO Funds for this research came from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (research project CTM-2013-44986-R). The authors thank P. Garcia-Hortigüela and J.L. Pareja for helping with the animal care facility. L. San Segundo is a doctoral student supported by an FPI fellowship from the Spanish National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology. The authors declare no conflict of interest. NO Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España) DS Docta Complutense RD 11 abr 2025