Study on the correlation of bisphenol A exposure, pro-inflammatory gene expression, and C-reactive protein with potential cardiovascular disease symptoms in young adults

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2021-07, Vol.28 (25), p.32580-32591
• Main Authors: Tsen, Chao-Ming, Liu, Jia-Hong, Yang, Da-Peng, Chao, How-Ran, Chen, Jyh-Larng, Chou, Wei-Chun, Ho, Yi-Chen, Chuang, Chun-Yu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biomarkers; Bisphenol A; Blood pressure; C-reactive protein; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Coronary artery; Coronary artery disease; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Endocrine disruptors; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Epoxy resins; Estrogen receptors; Estrogens; Exposure; Gene expression; Heart diseases; Inflammation; Inflammatory response; Kinases; Oxidative stress; Polycarbonate; Proteins; Research Article; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Secretion; Signs and symptoms; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Xenoestrogens; Young adults
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12805-0

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a plasticizer used in the manufacture of polycarbonate and epoxy resins. It was found that higher urinary BPA levels are more likely to be associated with coronary artery disease (CVD). In recent years, the increasing incidence of CVD among young people is observed, which may be related with inflammation rather than the traditional triple-H risk factors. BPA is an endocrine-disrupting chemical, and can induce oxidative stress and chronic inflammation since its estrogenic effect. Inflammatory responses could come from the stimulation of IκB kinases (IKKs) by estrogen receptors (ERs). Therefore, this study investigated the association of BPA exposure with the gene expression of pro-inflammatory response (ERs and IKKs), an inflammation biomarker of CVD (C-reactive protein, CRP), and physiologic index potency of CVD development symptoms in young adults. This study divided BPA exposure levels into high and low groups based on the median plasma BPA level (4.34 ng/mL), and found that the high BPA group obviously had higher BMI, blood pressure, plasma CRP levels, and gene expression of ERβ and IKKβ. BMI and gene expression of IKKβ were also positively correlated with plasma CRP secretion. Furthermore, the study subjects with potential CVD development symptoms had the increased levels of BPA (OR 2.10, 95% CI 0.83–5.39), CRP (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.03–10.6) and IKKβ (OR 4.29, 95% CI 1.51–15.6). These results indicated that exposure to BPA is potentially associated with expression of pro-inflammatory genes related to CRP secretion, which may promote the risk of CVD development symptoms in young adults. This study highlighted the possible connection between BPA exposure and CVD development but the mechanism between them needs to be further explored.