2. Academic Validation
  3. Bisphenol A and several derivatives exert neural toxicity in human neuron-like cells by decreasing neurite length

Bisphenol A and several derivatives exert neural toxicity in human neuron-like cells by decreasing neurite length

  • Food Chem Toxicol. 2020 Jan;135:111015. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2019.111015.
Xiaoxing Liang 1,  Nuoya Yin 1,  Shengxian Liang 1,  Renjun Yang 1,  Shuyu Liu 2,  Yuanping Lu 1,  Linshu Jiang 3,  Qunfang Zhou 1,  Guibin Jiang 1,  Francesco Faiola 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
  • 2 State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Wellcome Trust/CRUK Gurdon Institute, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK.
  • 3 Beijing Key Laboratory for Dairy Cow Nutrition, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, 102206, China.
  • 4 State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. Electronic address: faiola@rcees.ac.cn.
PMID: 31812737 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2019.111015
Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) and its derivatives, including bisphenols S (BPS), F (BPF), E (BPE), B (BPB), Z (BPZ), and AF (BPAF), are widely used in consumer products. Moreover, they are typically detected in the environment, food, and humans. Previous studies have linked BPA to several health risks, but it is still unclear whether BPA replacements are safe. In this study, we developed an in vitro model based on human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to explore the potential neural toxicity of these compounds. We observed that the bisphenols affected the viability of hESCs and hESC-derived neural stem cells (NSCs) at high concentrations, with BPS being the least cytotoxic and BPAF the strongest cytotoxic compound. At human-relevant concentrations, the bisphenols did not significantly interfere with gene expression and protein levels during hESC differentiation into the neural epithelium, as well as during specification of neuron-like cells from NSCs. Nevertheless, monitoring of cell morphology changes indicated that exposure to BPA and its derivatives impaired neurite length in neuron-like cells. Thus, our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of bisphenol-dependent neurotoxicity at low nanomolar levels and support the view that BPA substitutes may not be sufficiently safe for widespread use as industrial chemicals.

Keywords

Bisphenol A (BPA) derivatives; Human embryonic stem cells; Human neural stem cells; Neural toxicity; Neurite length.

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