Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA), an exogenous endocrine-disrupting chemical, has been shown to alter DNA methylation. However, little information is available about the effect of BPA exposure on DNA hydroxymethylation in humans. The objective of the present study was to examine whether BPA exposure was associated with DNA hydroxymethylation in human semen samples. We measured urine BPA levels and LINE-1 hydroxymethylation in 158 male factory workers selected from an occupational cohort study conducted in China between 2004 and 2008. Among them, there were 72 male workers with occupational BPA exposure (BPA-exposed group) and 86 male workers without occupational BPA exposure (unexposed group). Multivariate linear regression models were used to examine the association of exposure to BPA with LINE-1 hydroxymethylation. LINE-1 was more highly hydroxymethylated in the BPA-exposed group than in the unexposed group (median 12.97% vs. 9.68%, respectively; p < 0.05), after adjusting for the potential confounders. The medians of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) generally increased with increasing urine BPA levels: 8.79%, 12.16%, 11.53%, and 13.45%, for undetected BPA and corresponding tertiles for the detected BPA, respectively. After analysis using data at individual level, our findings indicated that BPA exposure was associated with alterations of sperm LINE-1 hydroxymethylation, which might have implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying BPA-induced adverse effects on male reproductive function.
Highlights
Bisphenol A (BPA), an exogenous endocrine-disrupting chemical, is extensively used in the production of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins [1] and is ubiquitously present in the environment, owing to the wide use of consumer products in daily life
We examined the association between exposure to BPA and Long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1) hydroxymethylation in individual semen samples
BPA-exposedBPA-exposed group had a higher of males aged 30–35 years, a similar average occupational groupproportion had a higher proportion of males aged
Summary
Bisphenol A (BPA), an exogenous endocrine-disrupting chemical, is extensively used in the production of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins [1] and is ubiquitously present in the environment, owing to the wide use of consumer products in daily life. Control and Prevention (CDC) detected BPA in 95% of urine samples in the general population using isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) [2]. In vitro studies have shown that BPA can interact with estrogen receptors α and β, leading to estrogenic effects [3], and act as an androgen receptor antagonist with strong anti-androgenic effects [4]. The endocrine-disrupting effects of BPA on male reproductive health have raised concerns over the past decades and a number of animal studies have shown that low environmental levels of BPA exposure can cause adverse effects on. Public Health 2018, 15, 1770; doi:10.3390/ijerph15081770 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
