Effects of PCB153 in retinoic acid-differentiated SH-SY5Y neuronal cells

The study examined the transcriptomic effects of PCB 153 at a sub-cytotoxic concentration of 5 micro molar in retinoic acid-differentiated SH-SY5Y neuronal cells. RNA-Seq analysis identified 1882 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Over-Representation Analysis revealed a strong, coordinated transcriptional response focused on the Proteasome, with 20 of 23 associated DEGs being up-regulated, suggesting a compensatory mechanism to enhance proteostasis in response to PCB 153-induced stress. Furthermore, significant enrichment was found in pathways linked to neurodegenerative diseases (AD, PD, ALS). These results indicate that PCB 153 exposure, even at non-lethal doses, challenges neuronal proteostasis, suggesting a potential molecular mechanism underlying its neurotoxicity.