Chronic exposure to bisphenol A can accelerate atherosclerosis in high-fat-fed apolipoprotein E knockout mice

Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2014 Jun;14(2):120-8. doi: 10.1007/s12012-013-9235-x.

Abstract

In epidemiological studies, there is growing concern regarding the association between human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, we investigated whether BPA accelerates atherosclerosis in mouse model. Apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE(-/-)) mice were fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet with or without 50 μg/kg body weight/day BPA for 12 weeks. Atherosclerotic lesions of the aorta and aortic sinus were evaluated by Oil red O staining. After the 12-week BPA treatment, BPA significantly increased atherosclerotic lesions in the aortas of ApoE(-/-) mice by 1.7-fold (p = 0.03). Non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels in the BPA group were significantly higher compared to those in the control group (1,035 ± 70 vs. 484 ± 48 mg/dL, p = 0.02) although body weight and blood glucose levels were not different between groups. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with 0.1-10 nM BPA but BPA did not affect HUVEC proliferation or migration. BPA could accelerate atherosclerosis in ApoE(-/-) mice, which may have resulted from an increase in non-HDL cholesterol levels.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aorta / drug effects*
  • Aorta / metabolism
  • Aorta / pathology
  • Aortic Diseases / blood
  • Aortic Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Aortic Diseases / genetics
  • Aortic Diseases / pathology
  • Apolipoproteins E / deficiency*
  • Apolipoproteins E / genetics
  • Atherosclerosis / blood
  • Atherosclerosis / chemically induced*
  • Atherosclerosis / genetics
  • Atherosclerosis / pathology
  • Benzhydryl Compounds / toxicity*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cholesterol, Dietary* / blood
  • Diet, High-Fat*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Environmental Pollutants / toxicity*
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / drug effects
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Phenols / toxicity*
  • Risk Factors
  • Time Factors
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Apolipoproteins E
  • Benzhydryl Compounds
  • Biomarkers
  • Cholesterol, Dietary
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Phenols
  • bisphenol A