Impact Of Early Life Exposure Research Articles

Prenatal and postnatal early life exposure to greenness and particulate matter of different size fractions in relation to childhood rhinitis - A multi-center study in China

The impact of early life exposure to residential greenness on childhood rhinitis and its interaction with particulate matter (PM) of different size fractions remain inconsistent. Herein, we recruited 40,486 preschool children from randomly selected daycare centers in 7 cities in China from 2019 to 2020, and estimated exposure to residential greenness by the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) with a 500 m buffer. Exposure to ambient PM (PM1, PM2.5, and PM10) was evaluated using a satellite-based prediction model (daily, at a resolution of 1 km × 1 km). By mixed-effect logistic regression, NDVI values during pregnancy, in the first (0–1 year old) and the second (1–2 years old) year of life were negatively associated with lifetime rhinitis (LR) and current rhinitis (CR) (P < 0.001). PM in the same time windows was associated with increased risks of LR and CR in children, with smaller size fraction of PM showing greater associations. The negative associations between prenatal and postnatal NDVI and LR and CR in preschool children remained robust after adjusting for concomitant exposure to PM, whereas the associations of postnatal NDVI and rhinitis showed significant interactions with PM. At lower levels of PM, postnatal NDVI remained negatively associated with rhinitis and was partly mediated by PM (10.0–40.9 %), while at higher levels of PM, the negative associations disappeared or even turned positive. The cut-off levels of PM were identified for each size fraction of PM. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to greenness had robust impacts in lowering the risk of childhood rhinitis, while postnatal exposure to greenness depended on the co-exposure levels to PM. This study revealed the complex interplay of greenness and PM on rhinitis in children. The exposure time window in prenatal or postnatal period and postnatal concomitant PM levels played important roles in influencing the associations between greenness, PM and rhinitis.

Zebrafish as an Animal Model in Cannabinoid Research

Cannabinoids are active substances present in plants of the Cannabis genus. Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have approved several medicinal products containing natural cannabinoids or their synthetic derivatives for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy, anorexia in AIDS patients, and the alleviation of symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis. In fact, cannabinoids constitute a broad group of molecules with a possible therapeutic potential that could be used in the management of much more diseases than mentioned above; therefore, multiple preclinical and clinical studies on cannabinoids have been carried out in recent years. Danio rerio (zebrafish) is an animal model that has gained more attention lately due to its numerous advantages, including easy and fast reproduction, the significant similarity of the zebrafish genome to the human one, simplicity of genetic modifications, and body transparency during the early stages of development. A number of studies have confirmed the usefulness of this model in toxicological research, experiments related to the impact of early life exposure to xenobiotics, modeling various diseases, and screening tests to detect active substances with promising biological activity. The present paper focuses on the current knowledge of the endocannabinoid system in the zebrafish model, and it summarizes the results and observations from studies investigating the pharmacological effects of natural and synthetic cannabinoids that were carried out in Danio rerio. The presented data support the notion that the zebrafish model is a suitable animal model for use in cannabinoid research.

The Impact of Early Life Exposure to Glyphosate

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune mediated disease that affects populations of all ages. It is characterized by eosinophilic inflammation of the esophageal mucosa, decreased epithelial integrity, and lamina propria fibrosis. Clinically, the symptoms of EoE can range from mild (dysphagia, abdominal pain, vomiting), to severe (food impaction, inability to thrive), to complete loss of esophageal function in extreme cases. This disease, first described in 1993, is rising in incidence and prevalence. Unfortunately, the reason for disease emergence is unknown and environmental triggers have been postulated as a potential source. The role of environmental toxins, specifically herbicides, has never been examined in the pathophysiology of atopic disease. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is the most used herbicide in the United States, and is frequently used as a desiccant prior to harvest. Residual amounts can be detected in harvested crops and downstream food products, potentially leading to a diet of chronic exposure. Herein we sought to determine the effects of early life glyphosate treatment and the consequences of exposure on the development of eosinophilic esophagitis and the maintenance of epithelial integrity.We exposed mice to physiologic levels of glyphosate in utero and throughout their life cycle to simulate glyphosate consumption in the typical American diet. We then induced EoE in mice using our established protocol and evaluated epithelial integrity and inflammation. Interestingly, we found that chronic glyphosate treatment alone induced a 2‐fold increase in esophageal eosinophils over baseline, similar to mice undergoing EoE. Secondarily, we exposed primary human esophageal and intestinal organoids to short term glyphosate treatment. We observed no changes in the esophageal organoids. However, we found increased gene expression of mucin 2 (MUC2) in organoids derived from terminal ileum and proximal colon.Taken together these results suggest that there is increased inflammation in the glyphosate treated mice and this may be due, in part, to a response generated in the small intestine by glyphosate exposure.

Intimate partner violence during infancy and cognitive outcomes in middle childhood: Results from an Australian community-based mother and child cohort study.

The cognitive functioning of children who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) has received less attention than their emotional-behavioral outcomes. Drawing upon data from 615 (48.4% female) 10-year-old Australian-born children and their mothers (9.6% of mothers born in non-English speaking countries) participating in a community-based longitudinal study between 2004 and 2016, this study examined the associations between IPV in infancy and cognition in middle childhood (at age 10). Results showed that IPV in the first 12months of life was associated with lower general cognitive ability and poorer executive attention but not working memory skills. IPV in middle childhood (in the 10th year postpartum) was not associated with cognition. This study provides evidence for the long-term impact of early life exposure to IPV on children's cognition, and points to the importance of early intervention to optimize development.

Early postnatal exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate causes sex-specific disruption of gonadal development in pigs

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a chemical commonly used as a plasticizer to render polyvinyl chloride products more durable and flexible. Although exposure to DEHP has raised many health concerns due to the identification of DEHP as an endocrine disruptor, it is still used in consumer products, including polyvinyl chloride plastics, medical tubing, car interiors, and children’s toys. To investigate the impact of early life exposure to DEHP on the ovary and testes, newborn piglets were orally dosed with DEHP (20 or 200 mg/kg/day) or vehicle control (tocopherol-stripped corn oil) for 21 days. Following treatment, ovaries, testes, and sera were harvested for histological assessment and measurement of steroid hormone levels. In male piglets, progesterone and pregnenolone levels were significantly lower in both treatment groups compared to control, whereas in female piglets, progesterone was significantly higher in the 20 mg group compared to control, indicating sex-specific effects in a non-monotonic manner. Follicle numbers and gene expression of steroidogenic enzymes and apoptotic factors were not altered in treated ovaries compared to controls. In DEHP-treated testes, germ cell migration was impaired and germ cell death was significantly increased compared to controls. Overall, the results of this study suggest that neonatal exposure to DEHP in pigs leads to sex-specific disruption of the reproductive system.

The Impact of Early Life Exposure to Cannabis: The Role of the Endocannabinoid System.

Cannabis use during pregnancy has continued to rise, particularly in developed countries, as a result of the trend towards legalization and lack of consistent, evidence-based knowledge on the matter. While there is conflicting data regarding whether cannabis use during pregnancy leads to adverse outcomes such as stillbirth, preterm birth, low birthweight, or increased admission to neonatal intensive care units, investigations into long-term effects on the offspring’s health are limited. Historically, studies have focused on the neurobehavioral effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on the offspring. The effects of cannabis on other physiological aspects of the developing fetus have received less attention. Importantly, our knowledge about cannabinoid signaling in the placenta is also limited. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is present at early stages of development and represents a potential target for exogenous cannabinoids in utero. The ECS is expressed in a broad range of tissues and influences a spectrum of cellular functions. The aim of this review is to explore the current evidence surrounding the effects of prenatal exposure to cannabinoids and the role of the ECS in the placenta and the developing fetus.

Exposure to metal mixtures in relation to blood pressure among children 5-7 years old: An observational study in Bangladesh.

We investigated the associations of 17 toenail metal concentrations with blood pressure using linear regression models. Principal component analysis (PCA), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were conducted as secondary analyses. Associations were observed for selenium with diastolic blood pressure (per doubling of exposure β = 2.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08, 4.75), molybdenum with systolic (β = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.61) and diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.12, 0.66), tin with systolic blood pressure (β = -0.33, 95% CI = -0.60, -0.06), and mercury with systolic (β = -0.83, 95% CI = -1.49, -0.17) and diastolic blood pressure (β = -0.89, 95% CI = -1.53, -0.26). Chromium was associated with diastolic blood pressure among boys only (β = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.28, 1.92, P for interaction = 0.02), and copper was associated with diastolic blood pressure among girls only (β = -1.97, 95% CI = -3.63, -0.32, P for interaction = 0.01). These findings were largely robust to the secondary analyses that utilized mixture modeling approaches (PCA, WQS, and BKMR). Future prospective studies are needed to investigate further the impact of early life exposure to metal mixtures on children's blood pressure trajectories and cardiovascular disease risk later in life.

Impact of early life exposure to ambient PM2.5 on child health in India

Background:Ambient PM2.5 exposure is very high in India, yet local evidence of air pollution health impacts is limited.Objective:Here using a nationally representative survey, we examine the impact of early-life exposure to ambient PM2.5 on children growth (height-for-age and weight-for-age) in India.Results:We use non-local fire-events as a measure for local pollution levels as they are not related to household behavioral choices or local economic activity, but affect local pollution levels as smoke and pollutants from these neighboring fire events can travel long distances. We found that one standard deviation increase in exposure to ambient PM2.5 decreases height-for-age (measure for stunting) by 6.7% and weight-for-age (measure for wasting) by 7.8% for children under 5 years of age. The impact is larger for poorer households and households where mothers have less (till primary level) and no education. The negative impact is detectable for all age groups (&lt;1 year, 1-2 years, &gt;3 years). Using a point estimate of probability of being stunted due to air pollution, we found that one standard deviation increase in ambient PM2.5 exposure in early-life decreases GDP (Gross Domestic Product) by 0.18% in India. Discussion:India has launched programs to improve sanitation and tackle malnutrition (the two biggest factors that negatively impact child growth) at national scale. Our study suggests that unless air pollution is also addressed at a national scale, the benefits of such welfare programs in improving child health may not be effective.

Does inflation kill? Exposure to food inflation and child mortality

Unlike extreme malnutrition shocks, such as famine and drought which grab the attention of the media, international aid organizations and policymakers, malnutrition due to food price hikes are often neglected and their impacts on children are not well known. It is well established that malnutrition during the critical periods of early life – between conception and the first 1000 days after birth – has lasting consequences on health and mortality. In this paper, using a uniquely constructed data from Ethiopia that takes advantage of high-frequency local retail food prices, we examine the impact of early life exposure to food price inflation on child mortality. Following survival events since conception, we estimate the causal impact of exposure to inflation during in-utero and infancy. The results show that exposure to a 10 percent inflation in staple food prices during in-utero decreases the survival of children under the age of five by about 5.4 percent. We also find that the impacts are non-linear depending on the specific month of exposure and substantially vary by observable characteristics and the type of staple food.

Bioactive food compounds, epigenetics and chronic disease prevention: Focus on early-life interventions with polyphenols.

Consumption of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, isothiocyanates, sulfur-containing compounds and terpenoids, found in fruits and vegetables, is associated with prevention of chronic disease. These bioactive food compounds elicit their protective effects through complex mechanisms at the cellular and molecular, including epigenetic levels. According to the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm, in utero exposure to stressors such as malnutrition through maternal diet would impair fetal development and epigenetically program increased risk of metabolic diseases and some cancers in adult life. In addition, a role for fathers´ diet during preconception on their offspring health and chronic disease susceptibility has also emerged. This highlights early life as a promising window of opportunity for starting dietary interventions focusing on preventing chronic diseases. However, knowledge on the potential beneficial impact of early life exposure to bioactive food compounds is limited. Among the studies that have investigated bioactive food compounds in the context of DOHaD, most have focused on the impact of dietary polyphenols. Thus, in this review we discuss experimental evidence supporting a role for the dietary polyphenols resveratrol, genistein, epigallocatechin-3-gallate and anthocyanins in chronic disease prevention considering a perspective from early-life interventions through maternal and paternal diets and focusing on epigenetics as a potential underlying mechanism.

Early Life Exposure to Air Pollution, Cognitive Development, and Labor Market Outcome

In this paper, I study the impact of early life exposure to air pollution caused by the 1997 Indonesian forest fires on cognitive ability, an important determinant of success in the labor market. To isolate the effect of pollution exposure, I use a difference-in-differences approach where exposure to pollution is determined by timing and region of birth. The results suggest that pollution lowered cognitive test score at age 8–9 years by 6 percent. I also estimate how this might translate into lost earnings on a different but comparable sample. The estimates suggest that natural disasters can reduce earnings by 5 to 8 percent by hampering cognitive ability. Lost earnings due to interrupted cognitive development could be an additional cost of exposure to air pollution.

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol-A altered miRNA-224 and protein expression of aromatase in ovarian granulosa cells concomitant with elevated serum estradiol levels in F1 adult offspring.

This study was aimed to predict bisphenol-A (BPA)-responsive miRNA's using an in silico approach and to study their expression in granulosa cells of animals exposed prenatally to BPA. Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed to BPA through water (25 μg/L, 250 μg/L, and 2.5 mg/L) during gestation. The expression of miRNA-133b, miRNA-378 and miRNA-224 were analyzed in ovarian granulosa cells. BPA affected the postnatal developmental landmarks such as weight of the pups at birth and reduced anogenital distance. BPA exposed animals showed elevated serum estradiol (E2) levels, while follicle-stimulating hormone levels were reduced. The expression of miRNA-224 and aromatase protein levels were found to be increased. This preliminary finding reveals the impact of early life exposure to BPA on the long-term ovarian functions that may be mediated through miRNA-based granulosa cell response. Besides, it is also a compelling indicator for the subclinical response that could have important consequences on female fertility.

Effects of perinatal exposure to BPA, BPF and BPAF on liver function in male mouse offspring involving in oxidative damage and metabolic disorder

Bisphenols (BPs) are common environmental pollutants that are ubiquitous in the natural environment and can affect human health. In this study, we explored the effects of perinatal exposure to BPA, BPF and BPAF on liver function involving in oxidative damage and metabolic disorders in male mouse offspring. We found that BPA exposure impairs the antioxidant defense system, increases lipid peroxidation, and causes oxidative damage in the liver. Furthermore, the levels of 13 metabolites were significantly altered following BPA exposure. We found that BPF exposure significantly increased the expression and activity of CAT, suggesting disturbances in the antioxidant defense system. Moreover, BPF exposure led to metabolic disorders in the liver due to changes in the levels of 8 key metabolites. Exposure to BPAF caused no negative effects on oxidative damage, but altered the levels of β-glucose and glycogen. In summary, perinatal exposure to BPA, BPF and BPAF differentially influence oxidative damage and metabolic disorders in the livers of male mouse offspring. The impact of early life exposure to BPs now warrants future investigations.

The impact of early life exposure to Plasmodium falciparum on the development of naturally acquired immunity to malaria in young Malawian children

BackgroundAntibodies targeting malaria blood-stage antigens are important targets of naturally acquired immunity, and may act as valuable biomarkers of malaria exposure.MethodsSix-hundred and one young Malawian children from a randomized trial of prenatal nutrient supplementation with iron and folic acid or pre- and postnatal multiple micronutrients or lipid-based nutrient supplements were followed up weekly at home and febrile episodes were investigated for malaria from birth to 18 months of age. Antibodies were measured for 601 children against merozoite surface proteins (MSP1 19kD, MSP2), erythrocyte binding antigen 175 (EBA175), reticulocyte binding protein homologue 2 (Rh2A9), schizont extract and variant surface antigens expressed by Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IE) at 18 months of age. The antibody measurement data was related to concurrent malaria infection and to documented episodes of clinical malaria.ResultsAt 18 months of age, antibodies were significantly higher among parasitaemic than aparasitaemic children. Antibody levels against MSP1 19kD, MSP2, schizont extract, and IE variant surface antigens were significantly higher in children who had documented episodes of malaria than in children who did not. Antibody levels did not differ between children with single or multiple malaria episodes before 18 months, nor between children who had malaria before 6 months of age or between 6 and 18 months.ConclusionsAntibodies to merozoite and IE surface antigens increased following infection in early childhood, but neither age at first infection nor number of malaria episodes substantially affected antibody acquisition. These findings have implications for malaria surveillance during early childhood in the context of elimination.Trials registration Clinical Trials Registration: NCT01239693 (Date of registration: 11-10-2010). URL: http://www.ilins.org

Impact of early life exposure to ionizing radiation on influenza vaccine response in an elderly Japanese cohort

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of whole body radiation exposure early in life on influenza vaccination immune responses much later in life. A total of 292 volunteers recruited from the cohort members of ongoing Adult Health Study (AHS) of Japanese atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors completed this observational study spanning two influenza seasons (2011–2012 and 2012–2013). Peripheral blood samples were collected prior to and three weeks after vaccination. Serum hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) antibody titers were measured as well as concentrations of 25 cytokines and chemokines in culture supernatant from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with and without in vitro stimulation with influenza vaccine. We found that influenza vaccination modestly enhanced serum HAI titers in this unique cohort of elderly subjects, with seroprotection ranging from 18 to 48% for specific antigen/season combinations. Twelve percent of subjects were seroprotected against all three vaccine antigens post-vaccination. Males were generally more likely to be seroprotected for one or more antigens post-vaccination, with no differences in vaccine responses based on age at vaccination or radiation exposure in early life. These results show that early life exposure to ionizing radiation does not prevent responses of elderly A-bomb survivors to seasonal influenza vaccine.

Behavioral and cognitive impact of early life stress: Insights from an animal model

BackgroundChildren subjected to traumatic events during childhood are reported to exhibit behavioral and cognitive deficits later in life, often leading to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression. Interestingly, some children continue to remain normal despite being exposed to the same risk factors. These trauma-related behavioral and cognitive profiles across different stages of life are not well understood. Animal studies can offer useful insights. ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to determine the impact of early life exposure to traumatic events on behavioral and cognitive profile in rats by tracking the behavior of each rat at different ages. MethodsWe utilized the single prolonged stress (SPS), a rodent model of PTSD, to study the effects of early life stress. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to SPS on post-natal day (PND) 25. Tests to assess anxiety- and depression-like behavior, as well as learning and memory function were performed at PND32, 60 and 90. ResultsRats exposed to SPS exhibited both anxiety- and depression-like behavior at PND32. And, short-term (STM) but not long-term memory (LTM) was impaired. Rats exposed to SPS at PND60 exhibited anxiety- but not depression-like behavior. STM but not LTM was impaired. Rats exposed to SPS at PND90 exhibited fearful (as indicated by elevated plus maze test) but not an overall anxiety-like behavior (in light and dark test). These rats also displayed significant depression-like behavior with no changes in STM or LTM. Interestingly, when data was further analyzed, two subsets of PND90 rats exposed to SPS were identified, “susceptible”: with depression-like behavior and “resilient”: without depression-like behavior. Importantly, while resilient group expressed early signs of anxiety- (at PND32 and PND60) and depression-like behavior (at PND32), these behavioral deficits were absent at PND90. On the other hand, susceptible PND90 rats exposed to SPS expressed later onset of anxiety-like behavior (at PND60), while depression-like phenotype was evident only later on at PND90. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that early life stress caused co-occurrence of anxiety and depression-like behavior at PND32 (mimics human early-adolescent period). This co-occurrence was lost at PND60 with demonstration of anxiety- but not depression-like behavior. Later, depression but not anxiety-like behavior was observed at PND90. It seems that behavioral adaptations occur at the critical PND60 stage (mimics human late-adolescent period), where behavioral and cognitive switching occurs, thereby, expressing susceptible and resilient phenotypes.

Early Life Exposure to Tap Water and the Development of Cognitive Skills

To improve drinking water accessibility and safety in rural China, the Chinese government launched the rural drinking water program in the 1980s. As part of the program, tap water infrastructure has been constructed in rural areas to supply tap water to rural residents. This policy intervention provides a unique opportunity to examine the impact of early life exposure to tap water on children’s cognitive achievement in later life. Using data extracted from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we find that one additional year of exposure to tap water in early life increases average cognitive test score by 0.109 standard deviations for a sample of rural children aged 10-15 in 2010. The effect is larger for children whose fathers are less-educated. Event study estimates confirm that the beneficial impacts are concentrated in early life with limited additional impact after the time window.

Negative body experience in women with early childhood trauma: associations with trauma severity and dissociation

ABSTRACTBackground: A crucial but often overlooked impact of early life exposure to trauma is its far-reaching effect on a person’s relationship with their body. Several domains of body experience may be negatively influenced or damaged as a result of early childhood trauma.Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate disturbances in three domains of body experience: body attitude, body satisfaction, and body awareness. Furthermore, associations between domains of body experience and severity of trauma symptoms as well as frequency of dissociation were evaluated.Method: Body attitude was measured with the Dresden Body Image Questionnaire, body satisfaction with the Body Cathexis Scale, and body awareness with the Somatic Awareness Questionnaire in 50 female patients with complex trauma and compared with scores in a non-clinical female sample (n = 216). Patients in the clinical sample also filled out the Davidson Trauma Scale and the Dissociation Experience Scale.Results: In all measured domains, body experience was severely affected in patients with early childhood trauma. Compared with scores in the non-clinical group, effect sizes in Cohen’s d were 2.7 for body attitude, 1.7 for body satisfaction, and 0.8 for body awareness. Associations between domains of body experience and severity of trauma symptoms were low, as were the associations with frequency of dissociative symptoms.Conclusions: Early childhood trauma in women is associated with impairments in self-reported body experience that warrant careful assessment in the treatment of women with psychiatric disorders.

Early exposure to and subsequent beef cattle performance with saline water

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of early life exposure to high salt water on later cattle performance with saline water. In Exp. 1, 24 cow/calf pairs were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: exposure to high salt water [HSW; 7478mg/kg of total dissolved solids (TDS)] or to low salt water (LSW; 512mg/kg TDS) when calves were 2 to 6 mo. old. Then all calves drank low salt water for 6 mo, and subsequently high salt water for 30 d. During the last period HSW tended to eat 10% less DM (DMI; P=0.07) and drank 22% less water than LSW (WI; P<0.01). Total tract DM digestibility (TTDMD; P=0.92), blood parameters (hemoglobin and hematocrit; P>0.13), plasma glucose (P=0.18), serum minerals (P>0.08) and weight gain (ADG; P=0.85) were not affected by treatment. In Exp. 2, 24 pregnant heifers in the last month of gestation were randomly assigned to either HSW (10827mg/kg TDS) or LSW. The exposure period ended when calves were 3 month old. Then all calves drank low salt water for 95 d, and subsequently high salt water for 30 d. During the last period no significant differences between treatments were observed for DMI (P=0.43), WI (P=0.61), TTDMD (P=0.92), blood parameters (P>0.42), plasma rennin activity (PRA; P=0.35), and ADG (P=0.16). However, HSW drank less (P<0.01) high salt water than LSW during the first two hours of drinking water restoration after a water deprivation period of 20h. Overall, in the conditions of our study we did not find evidence that early exposure to saline water induces tolerance and improves later performance of beef cattle with salty water. However, reduced water intake (Exp. 1) and increased thirst threshold (Exp. 2) of animals early exposed to saline water need further consideration.

Early life exposure to bisphenol A investigated in mouse models of airway allergy, food allergy and oral tolerance

The impact of early life exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) through drinking water was investigated in mouse models of respiratory allergy, food allergy and oral tolerance. Balb/c mice were exposed to BPA (0, 10 or 100 μg/ml), and the offspring were intranasally exposed to the allergen ovalbumin (OVA). C3H/HeJ offspring were sensitized with the food allergen lupin by intragastric gavage, after exposure to BPA (0, 1, 10 or 100 μg/ml). In separate offspring, oral tolerance was induced by gavage of 5 mg lupin one week before entering the protocol for the food allergy induction. In the airway allergy model, BPA (100 μg/ml) caused increased eosinophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and a trend of increased OVA-specific IgE levels. In the food allergy and tolerance models, BPA did not alter the clinical anaphylaxis or antibody responses, but induced alterations in splenocyte cytokines and decreased mouse mast cell protease (MMCP)-1 serum levels. In conclusion, early life exposure to BPA through drinking water modestly augmented allergic responses in a mouse model of airway allergy only at high doses, and not in mouse models for food allergy and tolerance. Thus, our data do not support that BPA promotes allergy development at exposure levels relevant for humans.