Bisphenol A Disrupts HNF4α-Regulated Gene Networks Linking to Prostate Preneoplasia and Immune Disruption in Noble Rats

Endocrinology. 2016 Jan;157(1):207-19. doi: 10.1210/en.2015-1363. Epub 2015 Oct 23.

Abstract

Exposure of humans to bisphenol A (BPA) is widespread and continuous. The effects of protracted exposure to BPA on the adult prostate have not been studied. We subjected Noble rats to 32 weeks of BPA (low or high dose) or 17β-estradiol (E2) in conjunction with T replenishment. T treatment alone or untreated groups were used as controls. Circulating T levels were maintained within the physiological range in all treatment groups, whereas the levels of free BPA were elevated in the groups treated with T+low BPA (1.06 ± 0.05 ng/mL, P < .05) and T+high BPA (10.37 ± 0.43 ng/mL, P < .01) when compared with those in both controls (0.1 ± 0.05 ng/mL). Prostatic hyperplasia, low-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), and marked infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells into the PIN epithelium (P < .05) were observed in the lateral prostates (LPs) of T+low/high BPA-treated rats. In contrast, only hyperplasia and high-grade PIN, but no aberrant immune responses, were found in the T+E2-treated LPs. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis in LPs identified differential changes between T+BPA vs T+E2 treatment. Expression of multiple genes in the regulatory network controlled by hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α was perturbed by the T+BPA but not by the T+E2 exposure. Collectively these findings suggest that the adult rat prostate, under a physiologically relevant T environment, is susceptible to BPA-induced transcriptomic reprogramming, immune disruption, and aberrant growth dysregulation in a manner distinct from those caused by E2. They are more relevant to our recent report of higher urinary levels BPA found in patients with prostate cancer than those with benign disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Benzhydryl Compounds / administration & dosage
  • Benzhydryl Compounds / blood
  • Benzhydryl Compounds / toxicity*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Implants
  • Endocrine Disruptors / administration & dosage
  • Endocrine Disruptors / blood
  • Endocrine Disruptors / toxicity*
  • Estradiol / administration & dosage
  • Estradiol / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects*
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / genetics
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / metabolism
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • Immunologic Surveillance / drug effects*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Organ Size / drug effects
  • Phenols / administration & dosage
  • Phenols / blood
  • Phenols / toxicity*
  • Prostate / drug effects
  • Prostate / immunology
  • Prostate / metabolism
  • Prostate / pathology
  • Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / chemically induced*
  • Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / immunology
  • Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / metabolism
  • Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / chemically induced*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Testosterone / administration & dosage
  • Testosterone / blood
  • Testosterone / pharmacology
  • Toxicokinetics

Substances

  • Benzhydryl Compounds
  • Drug Implants
  • Endocrine Disruptors
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4
  • Hnf4a protein, rat
  • Phenols
  • Testosterone
  • Estradiol
  • bisphenol A