Exposure to Bisphenol A is Directly Linked to Inflammation

by | Sep 7, 2017 | 2017, Cardiovascular Health, Environmental Health

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Analysis of urine samples from 200 participating Korean adults revealed a significant relationship between bisphenol A (BPA) and inflammation.

exerciseAccording to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an endocrine-disrupting compound (EDC) is any agent which disrupts the regulation of “natural hormones in the body that are responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis, reproduction, development, and/or behavior” 1. Among the most well-known of environmental chemicals with EDC activity are bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates (a family of chemicals used in plastics and other common products). The activity of these compounds mimics that of sex hormones, with BPA exhibiting estrogen-like effects and phthalates functioning as anti-androgens 2,3. The last decade of research has revealed a strong link between BPA and cardiovascular disease, and accumulating evidence suggests that EDCs may act as cardiovascular disruptors 4,5. Given the predictive power of elevated levels of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), a key inflammatory marker, for cardiovascular events 6, researchers have focused their attention on the relationship between BPA, phthalates, and biomarkers of inflammation in the study of cardiovascular disease 7. In a recent 2017 study, investigators from the Ajou University School of Medicine in South Korea sought to confirm the posited link between BPA, phthalate metabolites, and inflammation, based on high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP).

A total of 200 healthy volunteers consisting of 96 men and 104 women (aged 30-64 years) participated in an ongoing, population-based, cross-sectional study of Korean adults. Subjects provided urine samples from which BPA and phthalate metabolite levels were measured, using liquid chromatography methods. Insulin resistance and inflammatory biomarkers were also tested based on fasting blood samples.

Analyses revealed that of BPA and phthalate metabolites, only BPA and MBzP differed significantly between the low-hs-CRP (less than 2 mg/L) (1.4 +/- 1.9 vs. 3.4 +/- 7.1, p = 0.018) and high-hs-CRP (2 mg/L or greater) (5.0 +/- 8.6 vs. 9.6 +/- 17.9, p = 0.042) groups. High BPA levels (75th percentile and higher, 2.057 µg/L or greater) also showed significant odd ratios (OR) for high hs-CRP (OR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.18-6.55) and insulin resistance, based on the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (OR = 2.85, 95% CI = 1.16-6.97). After adjusting for factors associated with obesity and insulin resistance, BPA remained significantly related to high hs-CRP.

Overall findings demonstrate a positive, significant relationship between BPA and inflammation, supporting previous observations on the role of plastic exposure in the increasing prevalence of inflammation and inflammation-related diseases. Independent of other risk factors such as body mass index and insulin resistance, cumulative exposure to toxic EDCs appears to be associated with patterns of inflammation predictive of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the immunological activities of BPA and other cardiovascular disruptors should be further studied in relation to the disease course of atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, and other cardiovascular illnesses. Other biomarkers of inflammation should also be incorporated in future clinical trials. 

Source: Choi YG, Ha KH, Kim DJ. Exposure to bisphenol A is directly associated with inflammation in healthy Korean adults. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2017; 24: 284-290. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7806-7.

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016

Posted September 7, 2017.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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