Endocrine disrupting chemical Bisphenol A and its potential effects on female health

Highlights

• Endocrine Disrupting chemicals (EDCS) are widespread contaminators leading to adverse health effects.

• EDCs have been majorly associated in human population with the reproductive problems.

• Bisphenol A (BPA) is one the main EDC present ubiquitously worldwide.

• BPA is associated with abnormalities like irregularities in menstrual cycle, impaired fertility, PCOS among others.

Abstract

Background and aim

A large number of chemical compounds with endocrine-disrupting activity have been documented. These chemicals are ubiquitous and widely used in many products of our daily lives. Bisphenol A (BPA) is among the most common Endocrine Disrupting Chemical (EDC) that has been used for many years in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. There is growing evidence that exposure to these EDCs poses a possible health risk. This review focuses on the effect of EDCs, in particular, BPA on female reproduction and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which is the most prevalent endocrine disorder of reproductively aged women.

Methods

A relevant literature survey was conducted with Google scholar and Pubmed using several appropriate keywords to select the most relevant studies evaluating the role of endocrine disrupting-chemicals in female reproduction.

Results

The female menstrual cycle and fertility are very sensitive to hormonal imbalance and alteration in endocrine function during critical times and different stages of lifecycle owing to EDC exposure results in many abnormalities like menstrual irregularities, impaired fertility, PCOS, and Endometriosis among others. BPA is the most extensively studied EDC worldwide and has been strongly associated with female reproductive health.

Conclusion

EDCs lead to deleterious effects on human health including reproductive health which are of global concern. Exposure to EDCs in early life can elicit disease in adult life and maybe even transgenerational. There is an immediate need to minimize the ill effect of EDCs which can be tackled through the collection of more data to clarify the clinical implications of EDCs.

Introduction

Progressive industrialization, urbanization, and consumerism have led to environmental pollution and affects both wildlife and human health. The production of a large amount of biomedical and synthetic chemicals that lead to unwanted pollutants has lead to the concerns over health effects of these chemicals on wildlife and humans for several years. These chemicals are ubiquitous and are dispersed in soil, water, air, and food. Among these chemicals, the more harmful environmental contaminants are grouped into endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Endocrine-disrupting chemicals also called ‘‘endocrine disruptors’’(EDs), represent a group of widespread pollutants and are defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as ‘‘Exogenous agents that interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, metabolism, binding action, or elimination of natural blood-borne hormones that are present in the body and are responsible for homeostasis, reproduction and developmental processes’’ [1].

A large range of chemicals having the activity of endocrine disruption has been documented around the world by environmental agencies such as synthetic and natural hormones, by-products of industries, pesticides, pollutants, consumer products, and components of plastics which are produced in volumes of millions of tons per year. Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), dioxins, fungicides (vinclozolin), pesticides [DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), methoxychlor, chlorpyrifos] phytoestrogens [genistein and coumestrol] and pharmaceutical agents [DES (diethylstilbestrol)] are the most widespread contaminators. EDCs are present everywhere on the planet and both human and wildlife is getting continuously exposed to these chemicals which lead to adverse effects. The timing of exposure is critical. The Developing fetuses and neonates are most susceptible to endocrine disruption. These EDCs enter and accumulate in the food chain up to the human level. These chemicals have been found in human adipose tissue [2] and biological fluids like urine [3], serum [4], milk [5], and amniotic fluid [6].

Human exposure to EDCs is rapidly gaining global attention due to their association with altered human health as reported in many epidemiological and experimental studies. EDCs intervene with the sex steroid hormones synthesis, metabolism, and action which, in turn, result in developmental and fertility problems in both men and women. EDCs are associated with an increase in the incidence of cancer such as breast, prostate, and testicular cancers, the uterine feminization of newborn boys, diminished sperm count, motility and abnormal morphology of sperm, birth defects like hypospadias and cryptorchidism, early puberty, gestation diabetes, reduced birth weight, endometriosis, and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Some EDCs have obesogenic effects resulting in energy homeostasis disruptions. EDCs are linked with obesity and adiposity as well as other metabolic disorders like metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes [[7], [8], [9]]. Further, the most potent EDC i.e., BPA has been reported to influence several pathologies right as endometriosis, development of ovarian cysts, infertility, ovarian and breast cancer, poor neonatal outcomes, reduced sperm production, count, and motility among others [10,11]. BPA is also considered a potential developmental neurotoxicant at low doses [12].