Occupational noise exposure and thyroid health: The role of oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/Foxo3 signaling

Objectives: The study investigated thyroid function, oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/FoxO3 pathway in employees occupationally exposed to a noise. Methods: Environmental noise levels were measured along with assessment of Serum levels of T3, T4, TSH, MDA, and TAC and gene expression of NOXO3, PI3K, AKT, and FoxO3. Results: The mean noise level was 90.50 ± 4.43 dB. The serum levels of MDA and TSH were statistically higher, while TAC, T3, and T4 were lower among noise-exposed workers. PI3K and AKT were downregulated in noise-exposed workers, whereas FoxO3 and NOXO3 were upregulated, with a significant correlation between them. Conclusions: The noise-exposed workers had thyroid dysfunction issues linked to high oxidative stress. Downregulation of PI3K and AKT and upregulation of FoxO3 might reflect a cellular defense against oxidative stress. Collectively, noise should be considered as a systemic health risk.