BPA and BPS Affect Connexin 37 in Bovine Cumulus Cells.

Reem Sabry,Angela C Saleh,Jaqueline A Reiter-Saunders,Elizabeth J St John,Laura A Favetta,Sumetha Balachandran,Charlotte Apps

doi:10.3390/genes12020321

Abstract

Bisphenol S (BPS) is used as an alternative plasticizer to Bisphenol A (BPA), despite limited knowledge of potential adverse effects. BPA exhibits endocrine disrupting effects during development. This article focuses on the impact of bisphenols during oocyte maturation. Connexins (Cx) are gap junctional proteins that may be affected by bisphenols, providing insight into their mechanism during development. Cxs 37 and 43 are crucial in facilitating cell communication between cumulus cells and oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), denuded oocytes, and cumulus cells were exposed to 0.05 mg/mL BPA or BPS for 24 h. Both compounds had no effect on Cx43. Cumulus cells exhibited a significant increase in Cx37 expression following BPA (p = 0.001) and BPS (p = 0.017) exposure. COCs treated with BPA had increased Cx37 protein expression, whilst BPS showed no effects, suggesting BPA and BPS act through different mechanisms. Experiments conducted in in vitro cultured cumulus cells, obtained by stripping germinal vesicle oocytes, showed significantly increased expression of Cx37 in BPA, but not the BPS, treated group. BPA significantly increased Cx37 protein expression, while BPS did not. Disrupted Cx37 following BPA exposure provides an indication of possible effects of bisphenols on connexins during the early stages of development.

Highlights

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are defined as exogenous agents that can act as either receptor agonists or antagonists
The number of blastocysts compared per condition was dependent on the treatment since blastocyst yields are decreased in the Bisphenol A (BPA) group
The average number of blastocysts analyzed between three biological replicates are 12 for the control, for the vehicle, 5 for the BPA groups, and for the Bisphenol S (BPS) groups

Summary

Introduction

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are defined as exogenous agents that can act as either receptor agonists or antagonists. Bisphenol A (BPA), which imbalances hormone-driven processes in both humans and animals, is one of the most environmentally prevalent EDCs. BPA is a synthetic, xenobiotic, organic compound widely used as a plasticizer in polymeric plastics, polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins [1]. BPA is a synthetic, xenobiotic, organic compound widely used as a plasticizer in polymeric plastics, polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins [1] These polymers are linked by ester bonds that, upon exposure to high temperatures, acidic or basic substances and ultraviolet rays, can hydrolyze, causing BPA to leach from the plastic into the environment [2]. EDC rates of ingestion and metabolism in farm animals have not been widely studied, but there is clearly a potential risk of significant bioaccumulation and its associated effects on the health and reproductive

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