The thyroid hormone-disrupting activity of hydroxylated PCBs was examined. 4-Hydroxy-2,2',3,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (4-OH-2,2',3,4',5,5'-HxCB), 4-hydroxy-3,3',4',5-tetrachlorobiphenyl (4-OH-3,3',4',5-TCB) and 4,4'-dihydroxy-3,3',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (4,4'-diOH-3,3',5,5'-TCB), which have been detected as metabolites of PCBs in animals and humans, and six other 4-hydroxylated PCBs markedly inhibited the binding of triiodothyronine (1x10(-10)M) to thyroid hormone receptor (TR) in the concentration range of 1 x 10(-6) to 1 x 10(-4) M. However, 4-hydroxy-2',4',6'-trichlorobiphenyl (4-OH-2',4',6'-TCB), 3-hydroxy-2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, 4-hydroxy-2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, 4-hydroxy-2,3,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, 2,3',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl and 2,3',4',5,5'-pentachlorodiphenyl did not show affinity for TR. The thyroid hormonal activity of PCBs was also examined using rat pituitary cell line GH3 cells, which grow and release growth hormone in a thyroid hormone-dependent manner. 4-OH-2,2',3,4',5,5'-HxCB, 4,4'-diOH-3,3',5,5'-TCB and 4-OH-3,3',4',5-TCB enhanced the proliferation of GH3 cells and stimulated their production of growth hormone in the concentration range of 1 x 10(-7) to 1 x 10(-4) M, while PCBs which had no affinity for thyroid hormone receptor were inactive. In contrast, only 4-OH-2',4',6'-TCB exhibited a significant estrogenic activity using estrogen-responsive reporter assay in MCF-7 cells. However, the 3,5-dichloro substitution of 4-hydroxylated PCBs markedly decreased the estrogenic activity. These results suggest that, at least for the 17 PCB congeners and hydroxylated metabolites tested, a 4-hydroxyl group in PCBs is essential for thyroid hormonal and estrogenic activities, and that 3,5-dichloro substitution favors thyroid hormonal activity, but not estrogenic activity.