ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#The aim of this study was to assess the impact of bisphenol A (BPA) and its substitute, bisphenol F (BPF), on the colonic fecal community structure and function of mice.@*METHODS@#We exposed 6-8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice to 5 mg/(kg∙day) and 50 μg/(kg∙day) of BPA or BPF for 14 days. Fecal samples from the colon were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing.@*RESULTS@#Gut microbiome community richness and diversity, species composition, and function were significantly altered in mice exposed to BPA or BPF. This change was characterized by elevated levels of Ruminococcaceae UCG-010 and Oscillibacter and decreased levels of Prevotella 9 and Streptococcus. Additionally, pathways related to carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism showed substantial enrichment.@*CONCLUSION@#Mice exposed to different BP analogs exhibited distinct gut bacterial community richness, composition, and related metabolic pathways. Considering the essential role of gut bacteria in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, our study highlights the intestinal toxicity of BPs in vertebrates.
Subject(s)
Male , Animals , Mice , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Mice, Inbred C57BL , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Benzhydryl Compounds/toxicity , Bacteria/genetics , PhenolsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#Bisphenol A (BPA) is a monomer primarily used in the production of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. Bisphenol F (BPF) is apparently the main BPA replacement that is used increasingly. BPF has been detected in canned food, thermal paper receipts, and soft drinks. In the present experiment, we did both in vitro and in vivo studies to evaluate the effect of low and high-dose BPF exposures on testosterone concentration, oxidative stress, and antioxidants activity in reproductive tissues of male rats.@*METHODS@#Adult (80-90 days old) male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 36) obtained from the rodent colony of Animal Sciences Department of Quaid-i-Azam University. The direct effects of BPF on the antioxidant enzymes and testosterone secretion were measured in vitro and in vivo studies. In an in vivo experiment, adult male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 42) were exposed to different concentrations of bisphenol F (1, 5, 25, and 50 mg/kg/d) for 28 days. Various biochemical parameters were analyzed including the level of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Moreover, sperm motility, daily sperm production (DSP), comet assay, and histological analysis were performed.@*RESULTS@#In vitro study showed that BPF exposure significantly (p < 0.05) induced oxidative stress biomarkers, i.e., ROS and LPO, while it did not change antioxidant enzyme and testicular testosterone concentration. Whereas, an in vivo study revealed that BPF induced dose-dependent effect and high-dose (100 mg/kg) exposure of BPF significantly reduced tissue protein (p < 0.05) content, CAT (p < 0.001), SOD (p < 0.05), and POD (p < 0.05) levels while significantly (p < 0.05) augmented ROS and lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, BPF reduces testosterone, LH, and FSH secretion in a dose-dependent manner. Significant (p < 0.001) reduction in plasma and intra-testicular testosterone, LH, and FSH was noticed at 100 mg/kg BFP dose. High-dose exposure reduces spermatogenesis.@*CONCLUSION@#BPF showed an antagonistic effect on male reproductive hormones and induce alterations in testicular morphology. Increased oxidative stress and decreased testicular antioxidant status might be the underlying mechanism of BFP-induced testicular toxicity.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Antioxidants , Metabolism , Benzhydryl Compounds , Toxicity , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Environmental Pollutants , Toxicity , Oxidative Stress , Phenols , Toxicity , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Testosterone , MetabolismABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) are increasingly used as substitutes for bisphenol A (BPA), an environmental obesogen. However, health effects of BPF and BPS remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the associations of BPA, BPF, and BPS with obesity in children and adolescents. METHODS: We used data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013 to 2014, a nationally representative study. We included 745 participants aged 6 to 17 years old. General obesity was defined based on the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention body mass index-for-age growth charts for the United States. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist-to-height ratio ≥0.5. RESULTS: After adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, and urinary creatinine levels, the odds ratio of general obesity comparing the highest with lowest quartile of urinary bisphenol levels was 1.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92 to 3.31) for BPA, 1.54 (95% CI, 1.02 to 2.32) for BPF, and 1.36 (95% CI, 0.53 to 3.51) for BPS. Moreover, the associations were stronger in boys than in girls for BPA and BPF. Similar results were observed for abdominal obesity. CONCLUSION: This study for the first time showed that exposure to BPF, a commonly used substitute for BPA, was positively associated with higher risk of obesity in children and adolescents. The association of BPA and BPF with general and abdominal obesity was primarily observed in boys, suggesting a possible sex difference. Further investigations on the underlying mechanisms are needed.