Exposure to Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S and Incident Type 2 Diabetes: A Case–Cohort Study in the French Cohort D.E.S.I.R

Association between bisphenol A exposure and cardiometabolic outcomes: A longitudinal approach

Increased cardiometabolic risk is associated with abnormalities in blood biomarkers profile and adiposity measurements. Some substances found in the food matrix and the environment, called endocrine-disrupting chemicals, may impair cardiometabolic health in the early and later stages of life. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a food contaminant that migrates from food contact materials and may act as an endocrine disruptor, negatively affecting human health. The present work aims to longitudinally assess the association between BPA exposure and cardiometabolic outcomes, considering data from Portuguese population-based birth cohort Generation XXI. Blood insulin (0.06stdβ; 95 %CI:0.03,0.09) and insulin resistance (0.05stdβ; 95 %CI:0.02,0.08) presented a significant longitudinal association with BPA daily exposure after adjustment for important variables and energy. The same findings were observed for fat mass (0.03stdβ; 95 %CI 0.01,0.06) and waist circumference (0.06stdβ; 95 %CI:0.04,0.08). For z-BMI, a significant cross-sectional (0.03stdβ; 95 %CI:0.01,0.04) and longitudinal (0.02stdβ; 95 %CI:0.00,0.04) association was found. This was the first study assessing the association between BPA exposure and health outcomes from childhood to adolescence. We found an association between BPA exposure and increased blood insulin level, insulin resistance, fat mass percentage, waist circumference and z-BMI. Our results point to the need to reduce exposure to BPA in the early stages of life.

Conjugated metabolites of bisphenol A and bisphenol S in indoor dust, outdoor dust, and human urine

Bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) have been widely spread in the global environment. However, for conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites, limited studies have investigated their occurrence in environmental matrices. We collected paired indoor and outdoor dust (n = 97), as well as human urine (n = 153) samples, from residential houses in Quzhou, China, and measured these samples for 8 conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites. Three BPA metabolites were found in collected indoor and outdoor dust, with BPA sulfate (mean 0.75 and 1.3 ng/g, respectively) and BPA glucuronide (0.13 and 0.26 ng/g) being more abundant. BPA conjugates accounted for a mean of 42 and 56% of total BPA (sum of conjugated BPA and BPA metabolites) in indoor and outdoor dust, respectively. BPS sulfate (mean 0.29 and 0.82 ng/g, respectively) had consistently higher concentrations than BPS glucuronide (0.13 and 0.27 ng/g) in indoor and outdoor samples. BPS conjugates contributed a mean 32% and 45% of total BPS (sum of BPS and BPS metabolites) in indoor and outdoor dust, respectively. Moreover, conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites in indoor or outdoor dust were not significantly correlated with those in urine from residents. Overall, this study first demonstrates the wide presence of conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites, besides BPA and BPS, in indoor and outdoor dust. These data are important for elucidating the sources of conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites in the human body.

Conjugated bisphenol S metabolites in human serum and whole blood

Studies have shown that bisphenol S (BPS) is mainly present as its conjugated metabolites in human blood. However, the distribution of conjugated BPS metabolites in different human blood matrices has not been characterized. In this study, paired human serum and whole blood samples (n = 79) were collected from Chinese participants, and were measured for the occurrence of BPS and 4 BPS metabolites. BPS was detectable in 49% of human serum ( Collapse

Key Words

• BPS-G
• BPS-S
• Distribution
• Serum
• Whole blood

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MESH Headings

• Humans
• Phenols/blood
• Phenols/metabolism
• Sulfones/blood
• Sulfones/metabolism
• Male
• Female
• Environmental Pollutants/blood
• Environmental Pollutants/metabolism
• Adult
• Glucuronides/blood
• Glucuronides/metabolism
• Sulfuric Acid Esters/blood
• Middle Aged

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Grants Collapse

Affiliation(s)

Zhenling Fu Department of Pharmacy, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, Zhejiang, 324000, PR China
Hangbiao Jin Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, PR China
Weili Mao Department of Pharmacy, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, Zhejiang, 324000, PR China
Zefu Hu Department of Pharmacy, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, Zhejiang, 324000, PR China.

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Gene Target Prediction of Environmental Chemicals Using Coupled Matrix-Matrix Completion

Human exposure to toxic chemicals presents a huge health burden. Key to understanding chemical toxicity is knowledge of the molecular target(s) of the chemicals. Because a comprehensive safety assessment for all chemicals is infeasible due to limited resources, a robust computational method for discovering targets of environmental exposures is a promising direction for public health research. In this study, we implemented a novel matrix completion algorithm named coupled matrix-matrix completion (CMMC) for predicting direct and indirect exposome-target interactions, which exploits the vast amount of accumulated data regarding chemical exposures and their molecular targets. Our approach achieved an AUC of 0.89 on a benchmark data set generated using data from the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database. Our case studies with bisphenol A and its analogues, PFAS, dioxins, PCBs, and VOCs show that CMMC can be used to accurately predict molecular targets of novel chemicals without any prior bioactivity knowledge. Our results demonstrate the feasibility and promise of computationally predicting environmental chemical-target interactions to efficiently prioritize chemicals in hazard identification and risk assessment.

Effects and mechanisms of bisphenols exposure on neurodegenerative diseases risk: A systemic review

Environmental bisphenols (BPs) pose a global threat to human health because of their extensive use as additives in plastic products. BP residues are increasing in various environmental media (i.e., water, soil, and indoor dust) and biological and human samples (i.e., serum and brain). Both epidemiological and animal studies have determined an association between exposure to BPs and an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), including cognitive abnormalities and behavioral disturbances. Hence, understanding the biological responses to different BPs is essential for prevention, and treatment. This study provides an overview of the underlying pathogenic molecular mechanisms as a valuable basis for understanding neurodegenerative disease responses to BPs, including accumulation of misfolded proteins, reduction of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine, abnormal hormone signaling, neuronal death, oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis, and inflammation. These findings provide new insights into the neurotoxic potential of BPs and ultimately contribute to a comprehensive health risk evaluation.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: Mainstream recognition of health effects and implications for the practicing internist

Rapidly advancing evidence documents that a broad array of synthetic chemicals found ubiquitously in the environment contribute to disease and disability across the lifespan. Although the early literature focused on early life exposures, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are now understood to contribute substantially to chronic disease in adulthood, especially metabolic, cardiovascular, and reproductive consequences as well as endocrine cancers. The contribution to mortality is substantial, with over 90,000 deaths annually and at least $39 billion/year in lost economic productivity in the United States (US) due to exposure to certain phthalates that are used as plasticizers in food packaging. Importantly, exposures are disproportionately high in low-income and minoritized populations, driving disparities in these conditions. Though non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican Americans comprise 12.6% and 13.5% of the US population, they bear 16.5% and 14.6% of the disease burden due to EDCs, respectively. Many of these exposures can be modified through safe and simple behavioral changes supported by proactive government action to both limit known hazardous exposures and to proactively screen new industrial chemicals prior to their use. Routine healthcare maintenance should include guidance to reduce EDC exposures, and a recent report by the Institute of Medicine suggests that testing be conducted, particularly in populations heavily exposed to perfluoroalkyl substances-chemicals used in nonstick coatings as well as oil- and water-resistant clothing.

New analytical method for the determination of endocrine disruptors in human faeces using gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are environmental pollutants that can enter our bodies and cause diverse pathologies. Some bisphenols and parabens have been shown to be capable of modifying proper functioning of the endocrine system. Among other dysfunctions, endocrine-disrupting chemicals can cause changes in intestinal microbiota. Faeces are a convenient matrix that can be useful for identifying the quantity of endocrine disruptors that reach the intestine and the extent to which the organism is exposed to these pollutants. The present work developed a new analytical method to determine 17 compounds belonging to the paraben and bisphenol families found in human faeces. The extraction method was optimized using an ultrasound-assisted extraction technique followed by a clean-up step based on the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) technique. Optimization was performed using the design of experiments technique. In validation analysis, the method was proven to be linear over a wide range. R-squared outcomes were between 95 and 99%. Selectiveness and sensitivity outcomes were acceptable, with detection limits being between 1 and 10 ng g-1 in all cases, whilst quantification limits were between 3 and 25 ng g-1 in all instances, with the exception of bisphenol AF. The method was deemed accurate, with recovery values being close to 100% and relative standard deviations being lower than 15% in all cases. Applicability was examined by analysing 13 samples collected from volunteers (male and female). All samples were contaminated with at least one of the analytes studied. The most commonly found compounds were methylparaben and bisphenol A, which were detected in almost all samples and quantitatively determined in 11 and 12 samples, respectively. Of the 17 compounds analysed, 11 were found in at least one sample. Outcomes demonstrate that faeces can be a good matrix for the determination of exposure to contaminants of interest here.

The Role of Endocrine Disruptors Bisphenols and Phthalates in Obesity: Current Evidence, Perspectives and Controversies

Excess body weight constitutes one of the major health challenges for societies and healthcare systems worldwide. Besides the type of diet, calorie intake and the lack of physical exercise, recent data have highlighted a possible association between endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as bisphenol A, phthalates and their analogs, and obesity. EDCs represent a heterogeneous group of chemicals that may influence the hormonal regulation of body mass and adipose tissue morphology. Based on the available data from mechanistic, animal and epidemiological studies including meta-analyses, the weight of evidence points towards the contribution of EDCs to the development of obesity, associated disorders and obesity-related adipose tissue dysfunction by (1) impacting adipogenesis; (2) modulating epigenetic pathways during development, enhancing susceptibility to obesity; (3) influencing neuroendocrine signals responsible for appetite and satiety; (4) promoting a proinflammatory milieu in adipose tissue and inducing a state of chronic subclinical inflammation; (5) dysregulating gut microbiome and immune homeostasis; and (6) inducing dysfunction in thermogenic adipose tissue. Critical periods of exposure to obesogenic EDCs are the prenatal, neonatal, pubertal and reproductive periods. Interestingly, EDCs even at low doses may promote epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult obesity in subsequent generations. The aim of this review is to summarize the available evidence on the role of obesogenic EDCs, specifically BPA and phthalate plasticizers, in the development of obesity, taking into account in vitro, animal and epidemiologic studies; discuss mechanisms linking EDCs to obesity; analyze the effects of EDCs on obesity in critical chronic periods of exposure; and present interesting perspectives, challenges and preventive measures in this research area.

Bisphenol A (BPA) and Cardiovascular or Cardiometabolic Diseases

Bisphenol A (BPA; 4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol) is a well-known endocrine disruptor. Most human exposure to BPA occurs through the consumption of BPA-contaminated foods. Cardiovascular or cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, acute kidney disease, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure are the leading causes of death worldwide. Positive associations have been reported between blood or urinary BPA levels and cardiovascular or cardiometabolic diseases. BPA also induces disorders or dysfunctions in the tissues associated with these diseases through various cell signaling pathways. This review highlights the literature elucidating the relationship between BPA and various cardiovascular or cardiometabolic diseases and the potential mechanisms underlying BPA-mediated disorders or dysfunctions in tissues such as blood vessels, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, liver, pancreas, kidney, and heart that are associated with these diseases.

Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenol A Substitutes, Bisphenol S and Bisphenol F, on Offspring's Health: Evidence from Epidemiological and Experimental Studies

Pregnancy and lactation are critical periods for human well-being and are sensitive windows for pollutant exposure. Bisphenol A (BPA) is well demonstrated as a toxicant and has been replaced in the plastic industry with other bisphenol analogs that share similarities in structure and characteristics, most commonly Bisphenol S (BPS) and Bisphenol F (BPF). Maternal exposure to BPS or BPF can result in their accumulation in the fetal compartment, leading to chronic exposure and potentially limiting normal fetal growth and development. This review summarizes considerable findings of epidemiological or experimental studies reporting associations between BPS or BPF and impaired fetal growth and development. Briefly, the available findings indicate that exposure to the two bisphenol analogs during pregnancy and lactation can result in multiple disturbances in the offspring, including fetal growth restrictions, neurological dysfunctions, and metabolic disorders with the potential to persist throughout childhood. The occurrence of premature births may also be attributed to exposure to the two bisphenols. The possible mechanisms of actions by which the two bisphenols can induce such effects can be attributed to a complex of interactions between the physiological mechanisms, including impaired placental functioning and development, dysregulation of gene expression, altered hormonal balance, and disturbances in immune responses as well as induced inflammations and oxidative stress. In conclusion, the available evidence suggests that BPS and BPF have a toxic potential in a compartment level to BPA. Future research is needed to provide more intensive information; long-term studies and epidemiological research, including a wide scale of populations with different settings, are recommended. Public awareness regarding the safety of BPA-free products should also be enhanced, with particular emphasis on educating individuals responsible for the well-being of children.

Influence of bisphenol A and its analog bisphenol S on cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide-positive enteric neurons in the mouse gastrointestinal tract

Introduction

Bisphenol A (BPA) is used in large quantities for the production of plastics and is present in various everyday objects. It penetrates living organisms and shows multidirectional adverse influence on many internal organs. For this reason, BPA is often replaced in plastic production by other substances. One of them is bisphenol S (BPS), whose effects on the enteric nervous system (ENS) have not been explained.

Methods

Therefore, the present study compares the influence of BPA and BPS on the number of enteric neurons immunoreactive to cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide located in the ENS of the stomach, jejunum and colon with the use of double immunofluorescence method.

Results

The obtained results have shown that both bisphenols studied induced an increase in the number of CART-positive enteric neurons, and the severity of changes depended on the type of enteric ganglion, the dose of bisphenols and the segment of the digestive tract. The most visible changes were noted in the myenteric ganglia in the colon. Moreover, in the colon, the changes submitted by BPS are more noticeable than those observed after BPA administration. In the stomach and jejunum, bisphenol-induced changes were less visible, and changes caused by BPS were similar or less pronounced than those noted under the impact of BPA, depending on the segment of the gastrointestinal tract and ganglion type studied.

Discussion

The results show that BPS affects the enteric neurons containing CART in a similar way to BPA, and the BPS impact is even stronger in the colon. Therefore, BPS is not neutral for the gastrointestinal tract and ENS.

New environmental factors related to diabetes risk in humans: Emerging bisphenols used in synthesis of plastics

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the largest global health emergencies of the 21st century. In recent years, its connection with environmental pollutants, such as bisphenol A (BPA), has been demonstrated; consequently, new structurally similar molecules are used to replace BPA in the plastics industry (BPS, BPF and BPAF).

AIM

To carry out a systematic review to allow coherent evaluation of the state of the art. Subsequently, a meta-analysis was performed to unify the existing quantitative data.

METHODS

Firstly, a systematic review was carried out, using the terms "(bisphenol) AND (Diabetes OR Hyperglycemia)", to maximize the number of results. Subsequently, three authors analyzed the set of articles. Finally, a meta-analysis was performed for each BP, using RevMan software. In addition, funnel plots were developed to study publication bias.

RESULTS

The systematic analysis of the literature revealed 13 recent articles (2017-2023) related to the study paradigm. The qualitative analysis showed interesting data linking diabetes to the three most widely used substitute BPs in the industry: BPS, BPF and BPAF. Finally, the meta-analysis determined a positive relationship with BPS, BPF and BPAF, which was only statistically significant with BPS.

CONCLUSION

There is a need to apply the precautionary principle, regulating the use of new BPs. Therefore, replacing BPA with BPS, BPF or BPAF is unlikely to protect the population from potential health risks, such as DM.

Bisphenol A substitutes and obesity: a review of the epidemiology and pathophysiology

The prevalence of obesity, a condition associated with increased health risks, has risen significantly over the past several decades. Although obesity develops from energy imbalance, its etiology involves a multitude of other factors. One of these factors are endocrine disruptors, or "obesogens", when in reference to obesity. Bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor used in plastic materials, has recently been described as an environmental obesogen. Although BPA-free products are becoming more common now than in the past, concerns still remain about the obesogenic properties of the compounds that replace it, namely Bisphenol S (BPS), Bisphenol F (BPF), and Bisphenol AF (BPAF). The purpose of this review is to investigate the relationship between BPA substitutes and obesity. Literature on the relationship between BPA substitutes and obesity was identified through PubMed and Google Scholar, utilizing the search terms "BPA substitutes", "bisphenol analogues", "BPS", "BPF", "BPAF", "obesity", "obesogens", "adipogenesis", "PPARγ", and "adipocyte differentiation". Various population-based studies were assessed to gain a better understanding of the epidemiology, which revealed evidence that BPA substitutes may act as obesogens at the pathophysiological level. Additional studies were assessed to explore the potential mechanisms by which these compounds act as obesogens. For BPS, these mechanisms include Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) activation, potentiation of high-fat diet induced weight-gain, and stimulation of adipocyte hypertrophy and adipose depot composition. For BPF and BPAF, the evidence is more inconclusive. Given the current understanding of these compounds, there is sufficient concern about exposures. Thus, further research needs to be conducted on the relationship of BPA substitutes to obesity to inform on the potential public health measures that can be implemented to minimize exposures.

Enhancing de novo ceramide synthesis induced by bisphenol A exposure aggravates metabolic derangement during obesity

OBJECTIVE

Exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) has been shown to increase the prevalence of obesity and its related insulin resistance (IR). Ceramide is a sphingolipid known to facilitate the production of proinflammatory cytokines and subsequently exacerbate inflammation and IR during the progression of obesity. Here, we investigated the effects of BPA exposure on ceramide de novo synthesis and whether increased ceramides aggravate adipose tissue (AT) inflammation and obesity-related IR.

METHODS

A population-based case-control study was conducted to explore the relationship between BPA exposure and IR and the potential role of ceramide in AT in obesity. Next, we used mice reared on a normal chow diet (NCD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) to verify the results from the population study and then investigated the role of ceramides in low-level BPA exposure with HFD-induced IR and AT inflammation in mice treated with or without myriocin (an inhibitor of the rate-limiting enzyme in de novo ceramide synthesis).

RESULTS

BPA levels are higher in obese individuals and are significantly associated with AT inflammation and IR. Specific subtypes of ceramides mediated the associations between BPA and obesity, obesity-related IR and AT inflammation in the obesity group. In animal experiments, BPA exposure facilitated ceramide accumulation in AT, activated PKCζ, promoted AT inflammation, increased the expression and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines via the JNK/NF-κB pathway, and lowered insulin sensitivity by disrupting IRS1-PI3K-AKT signaling in mice fed a HFD. Myriocin suppressed BPA-induced AT inflammation and IR.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that BPA aggravates obesity-induced IR, which is partly via increased de novo synthesis of ceramides and subsequent promotion of AT inflammation. Ceramide synthesis could be a potential target for the prevention of environmental BPA exposure-related metabolic diseases.

Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Three Large Prospective U.S. Cohort Studies

OBJECTIVE

We examined the relationship between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk among 3 large U.S. cohorts, conducted a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies, and assessed meta-evidence quality.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We included 71,871 women from the Nurses' Health Study, 87,918 women from the Nurses' Health Study II, and 38,847 men from the Health Professional Follow-Up Study. Diet was assessed using food frequency questionnaires and UPF was categorized per the NOVA classification. Associations of total and subgroups of UPF with T2D were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models. We subsequently conducted a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies on total UPF and T2D risk, and assessed meta-evidence quality using the NutriGrade scoring system.

RESULTS

Among the U.S. cohorts (5,187,678 person-years; n = 19,503 T2D cases), the hazard ratio for T2D comparing extreme quintiles of total UPF intake (percentage of grams per day) was 1.46 (95% CI 1.39-1.54). Among subgroups, refined breads; sauces, spreads, and condiments; artificially and sugar-sweetened beverages; animal-based products; and ready-to-eat mixed dishes were associated with higher T2D risk. Cereals; dark and whole-grain breads; packaged sweet and savory snacks; fruit-based products; and yogurt and dairy-based desserts were associated with lower T2D risk. In the meta-analysis (n = 415,554 participants; n = 21,932 T2D cases), each 10% increment in total UPF was associated with a 12% (95% CI 10%-13%) higher risk. Per NutriGrade, high-quality evidence supports this relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

High-quality meta-evidence shows that total UPF consumption is associated with higher T2D risk. However, some UPF subgroups were associated with lower risk in the U.S. cohorts.

Food contaminants and potential risk of diabetes development: A narrative review

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to increase, especially among younger populations. Apart from genetic predisposition and lifestyle, there is increasing scientific and public concern that environmental agents may also contribute to diabetes. Food contamination by chemical substances that originate from packaging materials, or are the result of chemical reactions during food processing, is generally recognized as a worldwide problem with potential health hazards. Phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and acrylamide (AA) have been the focus of attention in recent years, due to the numerous adverse health effects associated with their exposure. This paper summarizes the available data about the association between phthalates, BPA and AA exposure and diabetes. Although their mechanism of action has not been fully clarified, in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological studies have made significant progress toward identifying the potential roles of phthalates, BPA and AA in diabetes development and progression. These chemicals interfere with multiple signaling pathways involved in glucose and lipid homeostasis and can aggravate the symptoms of diabetes. Especially concerning are the effects of exposure during early stages and the gestational period. Well-designed prospective studies are needed in order to better establish prevention strategies against the harmful effects of these food contaminants.

Endocrine disruptors in plastics alter β-cell physiology and increase the risk of diabetes mellitus

Plastic pollution breaks a planetary boundary threatening wildlife and humans through its physical and chemical effects. Of the latter, the release of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has consequences on the prevalence of human diseases related to the endocrine system. Bisphenols (BPs) and phthalates are two groups of EDCs commonly found in plastics that migrate into the environment and make low-dose human exposure ubiquitous. Here we review epidemiological, animal, and cellular studies linking exposure to BPs and phthalates to altered glucose regulation, with emphasis on the role of pancreatic β-cells. Epidemiological studies indicate that exposure to BPs and phthalates is associated with diabetes mellitus. Studies in animal models indicate that treatment with doses within the range of human exposure decreases insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, induces dyslipidemia, and modifies functional β-cell mass and serum levels of insulin, leptin, and adiponectin. These studies reveal that disruption of β-cell physiology by EDCs plays a key role in impairing glucose homeostasis by altering the mechanisms used by β-cells to adapt to metabolic stress such as chronic nutrient excess. Studies at the cellular level demonstrate that BPs and phthalates modify the same biochemical pathways involved in adaptation to chronic excess fuel. These include changes in insulin biosynthesis and secretion, electrical activity, expression of key genes, and mitochondrial function. The data summarized here indicate that BPs and phthalates are important risk factors for diabetes mellitus and support a global effort to decrease plastic pollution and human exposure to EDCs.

Potential effects of bisphenol A on diabetes mellitus and its chronic complications: A narrative review

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease caused by multiple factors such as genetics, environment, and lifestyle. Bisphenol A (BPA), as one of the most common endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), has been strongly implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). BPA exposure is associated with target organ damage in DM and may exacerbate the progression of some chronic complications of DM. This paper reviews relevant epidemiological, in vivo, and in vitro studies to better understand BPA's potential risk associations and pathological mechanisms in several chronic diabetic complications.

Bisphenol F induced hyperglycemia via activation of oxidative stress-responsive miR-200 family in the pancreas

Bisphenol F (BPF), BPS and BPAF are gaining popularity as main substitutes to BPA, but there is no clear evidence that these compounds disrupt glycemic homeostasis in the same way. In this study, four bisphenols were administered to C57BL/6 J mice, and showed that the serum insulin was elevated in the BPA and BPS exposed mice, whereas BPF exposed mice exhibited lower serum insulin and higher blood glucose. BPF decreased oxidized glutathione/reduced glutathione ratio (GSSG/GSH) and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) levels, which was responsible for pancreatic apoptosis in mice. Additionally, the downregulation of Nrf2 and the aberrant regulation of the p53-lncRNA H19 signaling pathway further increased miR-200 family in the BPF-exposed pancreas. The miR-200 family directly suppressed Mettl14 and Xiap by targeting their 3' UTR, leading to islet apoptosis. Antioxidant treatment not only elevated m6A levels and insulin contents but also suppressed the miR-200 family in the pancreas, ultimately improving BPF-induced hyperglycemia. Taken together, miR-200 family could serve as a potential oxidative stress-responsive regulator in the pancreas. And moreover, we demonstrated a novel toxicological mechanism in that BPF disrupted the Keap1-Nrf2 redox system to upregulate miR-141/200b/c which controlled pancreatic insulin production and apoptosis via Mettl14 and Xiap, respectively. As the major surrogates of BPA in various applications, BPF was also diabetogenic, which warrants attention in future research.

Development of human dermal PBPK models for the bisphenols BPA, BPS, BPF, and BPAF with parallel-layered skin compartment: Basing on dermal administration studies in humans

Risk assessment of human exposure to bisphenols (BPs) including bisphenol A, S, F and AF (BPA, BPS, BPF and BPAF) have suggested that except for ingestion, health risk resulting from dermal contact is not negligible. However, the absorption kinetics of BPA substitutes in humans following dermal exposure have been poorly studied. This study aimed to address the knowledge gap in physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling of BPA and its high-concerned substitutes (BPS, BPF and BPAF) following dermal administration. Parallel-layered skin compartmental model for dermal absorption of BPs was for the first time proposed and human dermal administration studies were conducted to determine dermal bio-accessibility of BPS from thermal paper (TP) (n = 4), BPF (n = 4) and BPAF (n = 5) from personal care products (PCPs). Further, pharmacokinetics of BPS and its metabolites following human handling TP were investigated and the dermal PBPK models for BPA and BPS were validated using the available human biomonitoring data. Overall, 28.03 % ± 13.76 % of BPS in TP was transferred to fingers followed by absorption of 96.17 % ± 2.78 % of that. The dermal bio-accessibilities of BPs in PCPs were 31.65 % ± 2.90 % for BPF and 12.49 % ± 1.66 % for BPAF. Monte Carlo analysis indicated that 90 % of the predicted variability fell within one order of magnitude, which suggested that the developed PBPK models had medium uncertainty. Global sensitivity analysis revealed that the model uncertainty is mainly attributed to the variabilities of dermal absorption parameters. Compared with the previous models for BPs, the developed dermal PBPK models were capable of more accurate predictions of the internal dose metric in target organs following human dermal exposure to BPs via TP and PCPs routes. These results suggested that the developed human dermal PBPK models would provide an alternative tool for assessing the risk of human exposure to BPs through dermal absorption.

Bisphenol A exposure inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell responses: Involvement of proliferation, migration, and invasion

Previous studies have associated bisphenol A (BPA) with malignant tumor formation, infertility, and atherosclerosis in vitro and in vivo. However, the precise mechanisms through which BPA affects the cardiovascular system under normal conditions remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the biological mechanisms through which BPA affects the responses of aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). BPA treatment inhibited the proliferative activity of VSMCs and induced G₂/M-phase cell cycle arrest via stimulation of the ATM-CHK2-Cdc25C-p21^WAF1-Cdc2 cascade in VSMCs. Furthermore, BPA treatment upregulated the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways such as ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK in VSMCs. However, the phosphorylation level of AKT was down-regulated by BPA treatment. Additionally, the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK was suppressed when the cells were treated with their respective inhibitors (U0126, SP600125, and SB203580). BPA suppressed MMP-9 activity by reducing the binding activity of AP-1, Sp-1, and NF-κB, thus inhibiting the invasive and migratory ability of VSMCs. These data demonstrate that BPA interferes with the proliferation, migration, and invasion capacities of VSMCs. Therefore, our findings suggest that overexposure to BPA can lead to cardiovascular damage due to dysregulated VSMC responses.

Sex-specific associations between urinary bisphenols concentrations during pregnancy and problematic child behaviors at age 2 years

Effects of prenatal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure on child behavior are mixed with some reports suggesting increased problematic behaviors in girls (e.g., aggression and emotional reactivity) and in boys (i.e., externalizing behaviors), while other reports suggest decreased problematic behaviors in girls. Little is known about the potential impact of pregnancy bisphenol S (BPS) exposure on child behavior. In a prospective cohort study (n = 68), five maternal spot urine samples collected across pregnancy were pooled and analyzed for BPA and BPS. Child behavior at 2 years was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Linear regression models were used to assess associations between bisphenols concentrations and both composite and syndrome CBCL scales. Exposure x child sex interactions were included in addition to their main effects and sex-stratified analyses were conducted. Models were adjusted for maternal age, number of siblings, and child age at CBCL intake. Mean maternal age was 29.7 years. Most women were White (88%), had an annual household income ≥$50,000 (66%), and at least a college degree (81%). Median concentrations were 1.3 ng/mL (range 0.4-7.2) for BPA and 0.3 ng/mL (range 0.1-3.5) for BPS. Sex modified the relationship between BPA and scores on several syndrome scales-anxious-depressed, aggressive, and sleep problems-where the association was consistently inverse in males in lower BPA concentrations, and positive (more reported behavior problems) among girls in the higher BPA group. Higher BPS was associated with more problematic internalizing behaviors among girls but not boys, and sex modified the relationship between BPS and emotionally reactive behaviors (Pinteraction = 0.128), with sex-specific estimates revealing more emotionally reactive behaviors among girls (expβ = 3.92 95% CI 1.16, 13.27; P = 0.028) but not boys. Findings were mixed overall, but one notable finding was that BPS, a replacement for BPA, was associated with increased problematic behaviors. There is a need for replication of findings due to our small sample size.

In silico profiling of endocrine-disrupting potential of bisphenol analogues and their halogenated transformation products

Due to its endocrine-disrupting properties, bisphenol A (BPA) is being phased out from plastics, thermal paper and epoxy resins, and its replacements are being introduced into the market. Bisphenols are released into the environment, where they can undergo halogenation. Unlike BPA, the endocrine-disrupting potential of BPA analogues and their halogenated transformation products has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the endocrine-disrupting potential of 18 BPA analogues and their halogenated derivatives by calculating affinities for 14 human nuclear receptors utilizing the Endocrine Disruptome and VirtualToxLab™ in silico tools. Our simulations identified AR, ERs, and GR as the most favorable targets of bisphenols and their derivatives. Several BPA analogues displayed a higher predicted potential for endocrine disruption than BPA. Our models highlighted BPZ and BPPH as the most hazardous in terms of predicted endocrine activities. Halogenation, in general, was predicted to increase the binding affinity of bisphenols for AR, ERβ, MR, GR, PPARγ, and TRβ. Notably, mono- or 2,2'-di-halogenated bisphenols exhibited the highest potential for endocrine disruption. In vitro corroboration of the obtained results should be the next milestone in evaluating the safety of BPA substitutes and their halogenated transformation products.

Critical Overview on Endocrine Disruptors in Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem in all countries due to its high human and economic burden. Major metabolic alterations are associated with the chronic hyperglycemia that characterizes diabetes and causes devastating complications, including retinopathy, kidney failure, coronary disease and increased cardiovascular mortality. The most common form is type 2 diabetes (T2D) accounting for 90 to 95% of the cases. These chronic metabolic disorders are heterogeneous to which genetic factors contribute, but so do prenatal and postnatal life environmental factors including a sedentary lifestyle, overweight, and obesity. However, these classical risk factors alone cannot explain the rapid evolution of the prevalence of T2D and the high prevalence of type 1 diabetes in particular areas. Among environmental factors, we are in fact exposed to a growing amount of chemical molecules produced by our industries or by our way of life. In this narrative review, we aim to give a critical overview of the role of these pollutants that can interfere with our endocrine system, the so-called endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), in the pathophysiology of diabetes and metabolic disorders.

Associations of bisphenol exposure with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a nested case-control study in Guangxi, China

A growing number of epidemiologic studies have estimated the associations between endocrine-disrupting chemicals and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, reports on the association between bisphenol A (BPA) substitutes and GDM are limited. This investigation aimed to explore the associations of maternal serum BPA, bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS), and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) with the risk of GDM. A nested case-control study was performed among 500 pregnant women. In conditional logistic regression models, the OR for BPS was significantly increased in the medium exposure groups (OR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.01, 3.13) compared with the reference group, while BPA (OR: 0.38, 95%CI: 0.29, 0.50) and TBBPA (OR: 0.67, 95%CI: 0.54, 0.85) were negatively associated with the risk of GDM. In the Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) analysis, the joint effect of bisphenols was positively associated with the risk of GDM. BPS showed positively relationship, while BPA and TBBPA showed negatively relationship, respectively. The quantile g-computation revealed a statistically significant and negative joint effect of the five bisphenols on the risk of GDM (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.72) with BPA (70.2%), TBBPA (21.3%), and BPB (8.5%) had positive contribution to the overall effect. These findings suggested that BPS had a positive effect on the risk of GDM, while BPA and TBBPA had negative effect on the risk of GDM. Moreover, exposure to the mixture of the five bisphenols was negatively associated with the risk of GDM.

Environmental endocrine disruptor Bisphenol A induces metabolic derailment and obesity via upregulating IL-17A in adipocytes

BACKGROUND

Bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous environmental endocrine disruptor, has been extensively demonstrated to be associated with metabolic disorders, including obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the underlying mechanism underpinning the environmental etiology of chronic metabolic disorders has not been sufficiently elucidated.

OBJECTIVES

This study is designed to explore the toxicological pathogenesis of chronic inflammation in BPA exposure during obesity.

METHODS

We investigated the role of IL-17A in the association of BPA exposure and obesity from human cross-sectional study to animal models, including genetically modified IL-17A^-/- mice.

RESULTS

Here, our work started from case-control observation that BPA exposure was significantly associated with risk of obesity (odds ratio = 4.72, 95%CI: 3.18 - 11.18, P < 0.01), metabolic disorder and levels of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) in human adipose (estimated changes β = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.15 - 1.01, P < 0.01) with bariatric surgery. Animal model fed with high-fat diet (HFD) confirmed that BPA exposure aggravated body weight gain and insulin resistance, concurrent with much heightened inflammatory responses in the adipose tissue including increase in IL-17A and macrophage polarization towards M1 stage. Genetically modified IL-17A ablated mice (IL-17A^-/-) showed reversed adipose tissue inflammation response, improved macrophage polarization homeostasis, along with insulin sensitivity in both HFD group alone or much more significantly the HFD + BPA group. Moreover, mediation analysis in human epidemiological investigation demonstrated that plasma IL-17A attributed up to 30.01% mediating role in the associations between BPA exposure and obesity risk.

DISCUSSION

This research paradigm from human to animal provides strong evidence for the elucidation of IL-17A moderating inflammation and insulin resistance in obesity. Such findings reiterate the obesogenic role of environmental endocrine disruptor BPA in metabolic disorders and unveils the potential toxicological mechanisms underpinning such effect.

Associations between mixed urinary phenols and parabens metabolites and bone mineral density: Four statistical models

Phenols and parabens widely exist in personal care and consumer products and have been proved to be endocrine disrupting chemicals that could disturb bone metabolism. The current studies focusing on the associations between phenols and parabens with bone mineral density (BMD) drew contradictory conclusions. Considering the bias might be due to not considering the effects of mixed exposure, we conducted the first cross-sectional study to investigate the associations of both single and mixed metabolites of phenols and parabens with BMD in three populations by setting up four models: generalized linear regression model (GLM), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression model, quantile g-computation (qgcomp) model and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model, based on the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. We found that the association between the mixtures and total femur BMD in men was significantly negative. Bisphenol A (BPA) was shown to play the most important role in this negative association in the BKMR model, and this negative association was also confirmed in the GLM model with β coefficient (95% CI) being -0.02 (-0.04, -0.01). The relationships between the mixtures and femoral neck and trochanter BMD in postmenopausal women were significantly positive. Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) played the most significant role in the positive association with trochanter BMD, as confirmed by the WQS, qgcomp and BKMR models, and this positive association was also verified by the GLM model with β coefficient (95% CI) being 0.01 (0.00, 0.02). In conclusion, the association between the mixed phenols and parabens and BMD was negative in men while was positive in postmenopausal women, which was gender-specific. This study might provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and the control of personal care and consumer products containing phenols and parabens in the future.

In vivo hypoglycemic effects of bisphenol F exposure in high-fat diet mice

Bisphenol F (BPF) is a widely used bisphenol A (BPA) substitute plastic additive that has attracted increasing public concerns due to its potential toxic effects on animal and human health. Although previous studies have indicated that BPF might have harmful effects on metabolic homeostasis, the systematic effects of BPF on glucose disorders remain controversial. In this study, mice fed a normal chow diet (ND) and high-fat diet (HFD) were administered BPF at a dose of 100 μg/kg of body weight, and glucose metabolism was monitored after both short- and long-term treatment. Little change in glucose metabolism was observed in BPF-treated ND mice, but improved glucose metabolism was observed in BPF-treated HFD mice. Consistently, BPF treatment led to increased insulin signalling in the skeletal muscle of HFD mice. Additionally, liver metabolite levels also revealed increased carbohydrate digestion and improved TCA cycle progression in BPF-treated HFD mice. Our results demonstrate that sustained BPF exposure at an environmentally relevant dosage may substantially improve glucose metabolism and enhance insulin sensitivity in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Relation of urinary bisphenol concentration and diabetes or prediabetes in French adults: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

International research has recently shown an association between exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and the risk of diabetes, although limited results are available for exposure to bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF). The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between impregnation with BPA, BPS, and BPF and the prevalence of diabetes or prediabetes in the French adult population.

METHODS

Based on the Esteban cross-sectional study, 852 adults aged 18 to 74 years living in France were included. To assess the link between urinary concentration of BPA, BPS and BPF and a state of dysglycemia (diabetes or prediabetes), logistic regression multivariable models were performed and adjusted for known risk factors for diabetes and urine creatinine concentration.

RESULTS

The percentage of included individuals with diabetes or prediabetes was 17.8% (95% CI = [15.3-20.4]). Urinary BPA concentration was significantly higher in people with diabetes or prediabetes, independent of the known risk factors for diabetes (OR for an increase of 0.1 units in log-transformed concentration of BPA (μg/L) = 1.12; 95%CI = [1.05-1.19], p < 0.001). However, we did not find any significant independent association between urinary BPS and BPF levels and the prevalence of diabetes or prediabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

In this sample, considering the diabetes risk factors, diabetes or prediabetes was positively associated with higher urinary BPA concentration but not with urinary BPS and BPF concentrations. However, analysis of prospective longitudinal studies are still necessary to demonstrate a causal link between bisphenol exposure and the risk of diabetes or prediabetes.

Exposure to Bisphenol A Substitutes, Bisphenol S and Bisphenol F, and Its Association with Developing Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus: A Narrative Review

Bisphenol A, a well-known endocrine-disrupting chemical, has been replaced with its analogs bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF) over the last decade due to health concerns. BPS and BPF are present in relatively high concentrations in different products, such as food products, personal care products, and sales receipts. Both BPS and BPF have similar structural and chemical properties to BPA; therefore, considerable scientific efforts have investigated the safety of their exposure. In this review, we summarize the findings of relevant epidemiological studies investigating the association between urinary concentrations of BPS and/or BPF with the incidence of obesity or diabetes. The results showed that BPS and BPF were detected in many urinary samples at median concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 0.4 µg·L^-1. At this exposure level, BPS median urinary concentrations (0.4 µg·L^-1) were associated with the development of obesity. At a lower exposure level (0.1-0.03 µg·L^-1), two studies showed an association with developing diabetes. For BPF exposure, only one study showed an association with obesity. However, most of the reported studies only assessed BPS exposure levels. Furthermore, we also summarize the findings of experimental studies in vivo and in vitro regarding our aim; results support the possible obesogenic effects/metabolic disorders mediated by BPS and/or BPF exposure. Unexpectedly, BPS may promote worse obesogenic effects than BPA. In addition, the possible mode of action underlying the obesogenic effects of BPS might be attributed to various pathophysiological mechanisms, including estrogenic or androgenic activities, alterations in the gene expression of critical adipogenesis-related markers, and induction of oxidative stress and an inflammatory state. Furthermore, susceptibility to the adverse effects of BPS may be altered by sex differences according to the results of both epidemiological and experimental studies. However, the possible mode of action underlying these sex differences is still unclear. In conclusion, exposure to BPS or BPF may promote the development of obesity and diabetes. Future approaches are highly needed to assess the safety of BPS and BPF regarding their potential effects in promoting metabolic disturbances. Other studies in different populations and settings are highly suggested.

Endocrine disruptor chemicals as obesogen and diabetogen: Clinical and mechanistic evidence

Obesity is becoming an inevitable pandemic all over the world. The World Obesity Federation predicts in the 2022 World Obesity Atlas that one billion people worldwide, including 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men, will be living with obesity by 2030. Moreover, the prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide, and diabetes is becoming more of a public health problem. Increased insulin resistance due to obesity and deficiency in insulin secretion are the two main causes of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). An exogenous chemical or mixture of chemicals that interferes with any aspect of hormone action was defined as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Bisphenol A (BPA), the first known EDC, was synthesized and was considered to be estrogenic. Global production of BPA has increased progressively from 5 to 8 million tons (MT) between 2010 and 2016. Furthermore, researchers estimated that the production should reach 10.2 MT by 2022. The human population is exposed to EDCs in daily life in such forms as pesticides/herbicides, industrial and household products, plastics, detergents, and personal care products. The term obesogen was used for chemicals that promote weight gain and obesity by increasing the number of adipocytes and fat storage in existing adipocytes, changing the energy balance, and finally regulating appetite and satiety. Besides the obesogenic effect, EDCs can cause T2DM through alteration in ß cell function and morphology and insulin resistance. In this review, we provide clinical and mechanistic evidence regarding EDCs as obesogen and diabetogen. However, those studies are not enough methodologically to indicate causality. In this respect, randomized clinical trials are needed to investigate the association between obesogen, diabetogen and the related metabolic clinical picture.

Endocrine disruptor chemicals, adipokines and reproductive functions

The prevalence of adult obesity has risen markedly in recent decades. The endocrine system precisely regulates energy balance, fat abundance and fat deposition. Interestingly, white adipose tissue is an endocrine gland producing adipokines, which regulate whole-body physiology, including energy balance and reproduction. Endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) include natural substances or chemicals that affect the endocrine system by multiple mechanisms and increase the risk of adverse health outcomes. Numerous studies have associated exposure to EDCs with obesity, classifying them as obesogens by their ability to activate different mechanisms, including the differentiation of adipocytes, increasing the storage of triglycerides, or elevating the number of adipocytes. Moreover, in recent years, not only industrial deception and obesity have intensified but also the problem of human infertility. Reproductive functions depend on hormone interactions, the balance of which may be disrupted by various EDCs or obesity. This review gives a brief summary of common EDCs linked with obesity, the mechanisms of their action, and the effect on adipokine levels, reproduction and connected disorders, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, decrease in sperm motility, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction in females and decrease of sperm motility in males.

Human health risk assessment of bisphenol A (BPA) through meat products

Meat and meat products are often consumed in our daily diet, providing essential nutrients. Contamination by chemical hazards, including bisphenol A (BPA) in meat products, is a concern and is continuously monitored. BPA is well-known for its endocrine-disrupting properties, which may cause potential toxicological effects on reproductive, nervous, and immune systems. Dietary consumption is the main route of BPA exposure, and meat products are a major contributor. BPA exposure from meat consumption is the focus of this review. This review found that BPA has been widely detected in canned and non-canned meat products. BPA in canned meat is assumed to be predominantly from migration from can coatings. Relatively low levels are observed in non-canned products, and the source of contamination in these products has yet to be definitively identified. A recent European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) draft opinion has proposed to lower the tolerable daily intake of BPA from 4 μg kg body weight (bw)^-1 day^-1 to 0.04 ng kg body weight (bw)^-1 day^-1, therefore potential health risks need to be addressed. This review has investigated potential contamination at the farm, industrial processes, and retail levels. Data gaps in the literature are also identified to improve future food safety in the meat industry. Also, a unified risk assessment strategy has been proposed. Further understanding of BPA migration in meat products is needed as a part of the exposure assessment to reduce potential risk, and more data on the dose-response relationship will help comprehend potential adverse health effects of BPA on humans. This research will inform the public, meat producers and processing industry, and policymakers on potential exposure to BPA and risk reduction measures, thus, ensuring food safety.

Bisphenol A analogues in associations with serum hormone levels among reproductive-aged Chinese men

BACKGROUND

Bisphenol A (BPA) as an endocrine disrupting chemical has been shown to alter reproductive endocrine function, but little is known on its analogues such as bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) with increasing usage and exposure.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the associations between exposures to BPA, BPF and BPS and serum reproductive hormones among reproductive-aged Chinese men.

METHODS

We measured BPA, BPF and BPS concentrations in repeated urine samples and multiple reproductive hormones in the serum samples collected from 462 men attending an infertility clinic in Wuhan, China. Linear regression models were applied to assess the associations between averaged urinary BPA, BPF and BPS levels and serum hormone concentrations, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were further utilized to explore potential non-linear associations. We also examined potential modifying effects by age and body mass index (BMI).

RESULTS

There was little evidence of associations between BPA exposure and altered reproductive hormones. However, we found that elevated BPF and BPS exposures were in negative associations with estrogen (E2) levels and E2/T (total testosterone) ratio (all P for trends < 0.05), and that elevated BPS exposure was negatively associated with SHBG levels (P for trend = 0.09). Based on the RCS models, these linear negative associations except that between BPS exposure and E2/T ratio were further confirmed. In stratified analyses, BPF and BPS exposures in relation to reduced E2 and E2/T ratio were more pronounced among men aged > 30 years, whereas their associations with reduced SHBG levels were more pronounced among men aged ≤ 30. Also, BPS exposure in negative association with FSH only emerged among men with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m² (P for interaction = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

BPF and BPS exposures were negatively associated with male serum E2, E2/T ratio and SHBG levels, and these associations varied by age and BMI.

Maternal perinatal exposure to bisphenol S induces an estrogenic like effect in glucose homeostasis in male offspring

Bisphenol S (BPS) has been introduced into the industry as a safer alternative to bisphenol A (BPA). However, the recent studies have reported a possible association between BPS and disturbed glucose homeostasis, indicating that it may be a risk factor for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and gestational diabetes mellitus. Nevertheless, the role of BPS in glucose metabolism remains controversial. In this study, we investigated the glucose metabolism of male Wistar rats born from dams that were BPS-exposed (groups: BPS-L (0.05 mg/kg/day), BPS-H (20 mg/kg/day)) during pregnancy and lactation. We observed that both BPS treated groups of animals presented a significant decrease in anogenital distance/weight^1/3 , as compared to control animals, although no alterations in testosterone levels were observed. Furthermore, the BPS-L group presented a significant decrease in body weight from postnatal day (PND) 21 to adult stage. In addition, a significant increase in glucose tolerance, pancreatic β-cell proliferation, the frequency of small islets, and the average β-cell size at PND 36 was observed in this group. However, no changes in insulin serum levels and percentage of β-cells were recorded. Furthermore, these changes were not preserved at the adult stage (PND 120). The results suggest that the administration of low doses of BPS during the perinatal period induced an estrogenic like effect, with males apparently becoming more female-like in their responses to a glucose challenge.

Combined effects of bisphenol A and diabetes genetic risk score on incident type 2 diabetes: A nested case-control study

Observational studies reported inconsistent results on the association between bisphenol A (BPA) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk. Whether genetic factors modified the association remains unclear. The present nested case-control study prospectively investigated the association of BPA with T2D risk, and the interaction and combined effects of diabetes genetic risk score (GRS) and serum BPA on T2D risk. Based on the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort study, 995 incident diabetes cases and 1:1 age- and gender-matched controls were included. T2D was diagnosed based on the American Diabetes Association criteria. Serum BPA concentration was measured at baseline. Diabetes GRS was constructed by 88 diabetes-related SNPs selected from large-scale GWASs. A U-shaped association was observed between serum BPA levels and T2D risk, with the lowest odds of T2D at the serum BPA levels of 1.00 ng/mL (P = 0.001 for nonlinearity). Compared with the middle group, the multivariate-adjusted ORs of T2D in the lowest group and the highest group of serum BPA were 1.52 (95% CI: 1.04, 2.22) and 1.40 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.81), respectively. Both serum BPA levels (β = 0.107, P = 0.001) and weighted-GRS (w-GRS) (β = 0.072, P = 0.02) were significantly associated with baseline FPG levels. Participants with both highest w-GRS and serum BPA levels had highest risk of T2D (OR = 2.53, 95%CI: 1.49, 4.31, P = 0.001) and higher baseline FPG levels (β = 0.218, P = 0.01), compared with those with both lowest w-GRS and serum BPA levels. Non modified effects of serum BPA levels and w-GRS on T2D, baseline FPG levels, and 5-y changes of FPG levels were detected (All P_interaction > 0.05). Our results suggested a U-shaped association between serum BPA levels and T2D risk. Participants with higher serum BPA levels and diabetes genetic risk had higher FPG levels and higher risk of T2D.

Association of serum bisphenol AF concentration with depressive symptoms in adolescents: A nested case-control study in China

BACKGROUND

As an important alternative to bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol AF (BPAF) is widely used and can be detected in multiple human biological samples. However, there are few studies on neurotoxicity of BPAF at present. In particular, no epidemiological studies have investigated BPAF in relation to depressive symptoms in adolescents. Here, our study aimed to evaluate the associations between serum BPAF concentrations and depressive symptoms in adolescents.

METHODS

A nested case-control study within an ongoing longitudinal prospective adolescent cohort that was established in Huaibei, China was conducted. A total of 175 participants who had new-onset depressive symptoms (cases) and 175 participants without depressive symptoms (controls) were included. Serum BPAF concentrations was measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The associations between BPAF exposure and the risk of depressive symptoms in adolescents were assessed using conditional logistic regression. The dose-response relationship between BPAF level and depressive symptoms was estimated using restricted cubic spline analyses.

RESULTS

In this study, the detection rate of serum BPAF was 100%, and the median (interquartile range, IQR) serum BPAF concentration was 5.24 (4.41-6.11) pg/mL in the case group and 4.86 (4.02-5.77) pg/mL in the control group (P = 0.009). Serum BPAF exposure was a risk factor for depressive symptoms (odds ratio (OR)= 1.132, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.013-1.264). After adjustment for all for confounders, compared with the low-exposure group, the high-exposure group had a 2.806-fold increased risk of depressive symptoms (OR=2.806, 95% CI: 1.188-6.626). Stratified analysis by sex revealed that males were more vulnerable to BPAF exposure than females. After adjustment for all confounders, compared with the low-exposure group, the relative risk of depressive symptoms in the high-exposure group was 3.858 (95% CI: 1.118-12.535) for males, however, no significant association between BPAF exposure and depressive symptoms was found in females. In addition, there was a marked linear association between BPAF exposure and the risk of depressive symptoms in the total population and in males.

CONCLUSIONS

The adolescents in this study were widely exposed to low levels of BPAF. A significant positive association was found between serum BPAF levels and the risk of depressive symptoms. The association was significantly modified by sex, and males were more vulnerable to BPAF exposure than females.

Association between urinary concentrations of bisphenol A substitutes and diabetes in adults

BACKGROUND

Due to new restrictions on the use of bisphenol A (BPA), industries are beginning to replace it with derived molecules such as bisphenol S and F (BPS and BPF). There is extensive evidence in the academic literature on the potential health effects of BPA, which is known to be a diabetogenic molecule. However, there are few publications related to new compounds derived from BPA.

AIM

To perform an epidemiological study of urinary BPS and BPF in the American National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cohort, and analyze their possible relationship with diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

NHANES datasets from 2013 to 2016 were used due to the urinary BPF and BPS availability. Data from 3658 adults were analyzed to perform regression analysis exploring the possible relationship between BPA-derived compounds and diabetes.

RESULTS

Descriptive statistics, linear regression modeling, and logistic regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between urinary BPS, but not BPF, and diabetes risk. Additionally, a relationship was observed between both compounds and hypertension and a slight relationship between BPF and dyslipidemia.

CONCLUSION

In the present study, a strong relationship between urinary BPS, not BPF, and diabetes risk has been determined. BPA substitute molecules do not exempt the population from potential health risks.

Increased gut serotonin production in response to bisphenol A structural analogs may contribute to their obesogenic effects

Obesogens are synthetic, environmental chemicals that can disrupt endocrine control of metabolism and contribute to the risk of obesity and metabolic disease. Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most studied obesogens. There is considerable evidence that BPA exposure is associated with weight gain, increased adiposity, poor blood glucose control, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in animal models and human populations. Increased usage of structural analogs of BPA has occurred in response to legislation banning their use in some commercial products. However, BPA analogs may also cause some of the same metabolic impairments because of common mechanisms of action. One key effector that is altered by BPA and its analogs is serotonin, however, it is unknown if BPA-induced changes in peripheral serotonin pathways underlie metabolic perturbations seen with BPA exposure. Upon ingestion, BPA and its analogs act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the gastrointestinal tract to influence serotonin production by the gut, where over 95% of serotonin is produced. The purpose of this review is to evaluate how BPA and its analogs alter gut serotonin regulation and then discuss how disruption of serotonergic networks influences host metabolism. We also provide evidence that BPA and its analogs enhance serotonin production in gut enterochromaffin cells. Taken together, we propose that BPA and many BPA analogs represent endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can influence host metabolism through the endogenous production of gut-derived factors, such as serotonin.

Bisphenol analogues induced metabolic effects through eliciting intestinal cell heterogeneous response

The metabolic effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as bisphenol analogues, have drawn increasing attention. Bisphenol A (BPA) usage is associated with the occurrence of many metabolic diseases. With the restricted use of BPA, alternatives like bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol AF (BPAF) have been greatly introduced for industrial manufacture, and brings new hazard to public health. To understand how bisphenol analogues induced metabolic effects, zebrafish are continuous exposed to environmental level (0.5 μg/L) of BPA, BPF and BPAF since embryonic stage, and identified hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance at 60-day post fertilization. Hepatic transcriptional profile indicated that pancreatic disease pathways were activated by BPA, but were inhibited by BPF. At the same time, increased lipid secretion and gluconeogenesis pathways in zebrafish liver was found post BPAF exposure. Significant inflammatory response, histological injury and increased mucus secretion was detected in zebrafish intestine post exposure of three bisphenol analogues. Single-cell RNA sequencing of zebrafish intestinal cells revealed activation of lipid uptake and absorption pathways in enterocyte lineages, which well explained the hepatic steatosis induced by BPA and BPF. Besides, genes related to carbohydrate metabolism, diabetes and insulin resistance were activated in intestinal immune cell types by three bisphenol analogues. These findings indicated that BPA and its alternatives could lead to abnormal lipid and carbohydrate metabolism of zebrafish through inducing cell heterogeneous changes in gut, and revealed both molecular and cellular mechanism in mediating this effect.

Triglyceride profiles are associated with subacute exposure to bisphenol A in healthy young adults

Conflicted results from previous epidemiological studies call for mechanistic evidence to associate exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) with cardiometabolic diseases. In this natural experiment among healthy travelers from Los Angeles (LA) to Beijing, we collected paired urine and blood samples before their departure, 6-8 weeks after their arrival to Beijing, and 4-7 weeks after their return to LA for the assessment of urinary BPA and lipidome in the serum fraction of blood, to study the effects of drastically changed BPA exposure on the lipid metabolism in relation to the development of cardiometabolic disorders. We used linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts for participant and phase to examine the associations between urinary BPA and serum lipidome. Among 744 lipid species from seven classes, triglyceride (TGs) species showed the strongest associations with BPA exposure. The elevation in BPA exposure was associated with increases in TGs with short carbon chains or few double bonds, and decreases in TGs with long carbon chains or many double bonds. A significant linear relationship was observed between BPA-associated TG changes and the number of carbons and double-bonds in the acyl chain. No modification effects of gender but of body mass index (BMI) were observed on the associations between BPA exposure and TGs. This interdisciplinary environmental research substantiated the cardiometabolic effects of BPA according to the perturbations of TG profiling.

G protein-coupled estrogen receptor activation by bisphenol-A disrupts the protection from apoptosis conferred by the estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ in pancreatic beta cells

17β-estradiol protects pancreatic β-cells from apoptosis via the estrogen receptors ERα, ERβ and GPER. Conversely, the endocrine disruptor bisphenol-A (BPA), which exerts multiple effects in this cell type via the same estrogen receptors, increased basal apoptosis. The molecular-initiated events that trigger these opposite actions have yet to be identified. We demonstrated that combined genetic downregulation and pharmacological blockade of each estrogen receptor increased apoptosis to a different extent. The increase in apoptosis induced by BPA was diminished by the pharmacological blockade or the genetic silencing of GPER, and it was partially reproduced by the GPER agonist G1. BPA and G1-induced apoptosis were abolished upon pharmacological inhibition, silencing of ERα and ERβ, or in dispersed islet cells from ERβ knockout (BERKO) mice. However, the ERα and ERβ agonists PPT and DPN, respectively, had no effect on beta cell viability. To exert their biological actions, ERα and ERβ form homodimers and heterodimers. Molecular dynamics simulations together with proximity ligand assays and coimmunoprecipitation experiments indicated that the interaction of BPA with ERα and ERβ as well as GPER activation by G1 decreased ERαβ heterodimers. We propose that ERαβ heterodimers play an antiapoptotic role in beta cells and that BPA- and G1-induced decreases in ERαβ heterodimers lead to beta cell apoptosis. Unveiling how different estrogenic chemicals affect the crosstalk among estrogen receptors should help to identify diabetogenic endocrine disruptors.

Screening of Relevant Metabolism-Disrupting Chemicals on Pancreatic β-Cells: Evaluation of Murine and Human In Vitro Models

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemical substances that can interfere with the normal function of the endocrine system. EDCs are ubiquitous and can be found in a variety of consumer products such as food packaging materials, personal care and household products, plastic additives, and flame retardants. Over the last decade, the impact of EDCs on human health has been widely acknowledged as they have been associated with different endocrine diseases. Among them, a subset called metabolism-disrupting chemicals (MDCs) is able to promote metabolic changes that can lead to the development of metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, hepatic steatosis, and metabolic syndrome, among others. Despite this, today, there are still no definitive and standardized in vitro tools to support the metabolic risk assessment of existing and emerging MDCs for regulatory purposes. Here, we evaluated the following two different pancreatic cell-based in vitro systems: the murine pancreatic β-cell line MIN6 as well as the human pancreatic β-cell line EndoC-βH1. Both were challenged with the following range of relevant concentrations of seven well-known EDCs: (bisphenol-A (BPA), bisphenol-S (BPS), bisphenol-F (BPF), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), cadmium chloride (CdCl2), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE)). The screening revealed that most of the tested chemicals have detectable, deleterious effects on glucose-stimulated insulin release, insulin content, electrical activity, gene expression, and/or viability. Our data provide new molecular information on the direct effects of the selected chemicals on key aspects of pancreatic β-cell function, such as the stimulus-secretion coupling and ion channel activity. In addition, we found that, in general, the sensitivity and responses were comparable to those from other in vivo studies reported in the literature. Overall, our results suggest that both systems can serve as effective tools for the rapid screening of potential MDC effects on pancreatic β-cell physiology as well as for deciphering and better understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie their action.

The effects of bisphenols on the cardiovascular system

Bisphenols, endocrine disrupting chemicals, have frequently been used for producing food packaging materials. The best-known member, bisphenol A (BPA), has been linked to impaired foetal development in animals. Possible negative effects of BPA on human health have resulted in the production of novel, so-called next-generation (NextGen) bisphenols whose effects on humans are much less explored or even missing. This review aimed to summarise and critically assess the main findings and shortages in current bisphenol research in relation to their potential impact on the cardiovascular system in real biological exposure. Because of the common presence of bisphenols in daily use products, humans are clearly exposed to these compounds. Most data are available on BPA, where total serum levels (i.e. included conjugated metabolite) can reach up to ∼430 nM, while free bisphenol levels have been reported up to ∼80 nM. Limited data are available for other bisphenols, but maximal serum levels of bisphenol S have been reported (680 nM). Such levels seem to be negligible, although in vitro studies have showed effects on ion channels, and thyroid, oestrogenic and androgenic receptors in low micromolar concentrations. Ex vivo studies suggest vasodilatory effects of bisphenols. This stays in clear contrast to the elevation of arterial blood pressure documented in vivo and in observatory cross-sectional human studies. Bisphenols are also claimed to have a negative effect on lipidic spectrum and coronary artery disease. Regardless, the reported data are generally inconsistent and unsatisfactory. Hence novel well-designed studies, testing in particular NextGen bisphenols, are needed.

The role of endocrine-disrupting phthalates and bisphenols in cardiometabolic disease: the evidence is mounting

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There is substantive and accumulating evidence that endemic exposure to plastic-associated chemicals (PACs) contribute to the pathophysiology of metabolic conditions, like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The consequences of this endemic exposure in inducing a pro-inflammatory state in adipose tissues as a critical link between exposure and disease is reviewed.

RECENT FINDINGS

In general, PACs are classified as nonpersistent in vivo because of their rapid metabolism to easily excreted forms. The parental chemicals, however, are typically lipophilic, with the potential to bioaccumulate. Recent data from selected association studies suggest exposure to PACs drive predisease states like obesity and inflammation of the adipose tissues. A range of experimental studies are discussed with a focus on biological mechanisms that are susceptible to the influence of PACs and which may promote metabolic disease, the detection of PACs within susceptible tissues and biological effects that are detectable at doses that correspond to real-life exposures to these chemicals.

SUMMARY

If we hypothesize the toxic pressure from chronic exposure to PACs will progress disease processes, then individuals with comprehensively characterized indicators of premetabolic disease could undergo trials of quantifiable interventions to reduce exposure to PACs to test if the trajectory of disease-associated analytes, is altered.

Urinary element profiles and associations with cardiometabolic diseases: A cross-sectional study across ten areas in China

BACKGROUND

Existing evidence on the associations of urinary element profiles with related food intake and cardiometabolic diseases has been limited in China.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the associations of urinary toxic metals and other elements with food intakes and with the prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases.

METHODS

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to measure the concentrations of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and 16 other elements in spot urine samples collected from 19,380 adults in 10 geographically diverse areas of China during 2013-2014. The levels of creatinine-corrected elements were used to analyze their correlations with self-reported dietary intake and associations with prevalent diabetes (n = 1862), stroke (n = 1322) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) (n = 1690).

RESULTS

Overall, the mean (SD) age was 59.2 (10.1) years with a mean BMI of 24.2 (3.5) kg/m². Of the 21 elements, the median (IQR) concentrations varied from 0.49 (0.31-0.82) μg/g creatinine for vanadium (V) to 1666 (1189-2321) mg/g creatinine for potassium (K). Nine urinary elements [Cd, As, Ni, lead (Pb), boron (B), magnesium (Mg), rubidium (Rb), strontium (Sr), and cesium (Cs); all rs > 0.20, p < 0.001] were positively correlated with staple food intake, five [Cd, As, selenium (Se), Rb, and Cs; all rs > 0.20, p < 0.001] with animal-sourced food group, and one (Cd; r = 0.21, p < 0.05) with pickled vegetable intake. For diabetes, adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) per SD of specific element levels were 1.10 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.18] for Cd, 1.24 (1.18-1.31) for As, 1.33 (1.27-1.39) for Ni, 1.14 (1.09-1.20) for Al, and 1.24 (1.18-1.30) for Cu. Cd was positively associated with stroke (PR per SD = 1.13, 1.04-1.23), while none of the elements were significantly associated with IHD.

CONCLUSION

In China, the urinary levels of several toxic metals were significantly associated with the consumption of specific food groups and the risk of cardiometabolic diseases including diabetes and stroke.

Disposition of Bisphenol S metabolites in Sprague-Dawley rats

Bisphenol S (BPS), a primary bisphenol A (BPA) substitute, has shown a comparable estrogenic activity to BPA. To comprehensively evaluate the toxic effect of human BPS exposure, it is necessary to understand the occurrence of free BPS and its conjugated metabolites in human internal tissues, but which remains unclear. In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were orally and continuously dosed at 500 μg/kg/day to mimic the actual human BPS exposure scenario, and then free BPS and its conjugated metabolites were analyzed in rat internal tissues, blood, and excreta. Results showed that concentrations of free BPS and its metabolites in most rat tissues, excreta, and blood reached the steady state after 9 days of continuous BPS dosage. In rat urine, 81-84% of BPS was present in the conjugated form, with BPS glucuronide (BPS-G) and BPS sulfate (BPS-S) accounting for mean 83% and 16% of total conjugated BPS, respectively. In rat blood, mean 55% of total BPS was present in the conjugated form, with BPS-G (2.4-2.8 ng/mL) being more abundant than BPS-S (0.19-0.25 ng/mL). Among rat tissues, the mean proportion of free BPS was relatively higher in spleen (76%) and stomach (75%), while lower in intestine (14%) and kidney (36%). BPS-G was more abundant than BPS-S in most rat tissues, such as intestine (mean 93% versus 6.5%) and muscle (78% versus 19%). While, the mean proportion of BPS-S (48%) was higher than BPS-G (33%) in rat liver. These data suggest that analyzing human blood and urine may not accurately reflect the contamination of BPS metabolites in human internal tissues. This study contributes to the better understanding of the metabolic fate of BPS in humans.