Authors: R Valentino V D’Esposito F Ariemma I Cimmino F Beguinot P Formisano
Publish Date: 2015/06/24
Volume: 39, Issue: 3, Pages: 259-263
Abstract
In the last decades many reports have focused the attention on deleterious effects of novel environmental chemical compounds including bisphenol A BPA on human health BPA a common and widely chemical contaminant acting as endocrine disruptor accumulates in adipose tissue and may affect adipocyte metabolic and inflammatory functions BPA at low chronic doses is now considered as an obesogen compound and might contribute to the rise of metabolic syndrome visceral adiposity and diabetes epidemics The BPA worldwide presence in the environment is responsible for chronic exposure during vulnerable periods such as foetal and neonatal life The BPA source of contamination can occur via food beverage wastewater air dust and soil BPA as lipophilic compound may accumulate into the adipose tissue already during foetal life and may affect adulthood health through adverse effects on the growth and development of organs and tissues Thus based on several studies it would be crucial to consider further actions aimed to refine risk assessment at least in vulnerable population such as foetuses infants and young children to prevent metabolic diseases and obesityRecent advances have confirmed the role of chemical environmental pollutants together with excessive nutrients in the global obesity epidemic mainly via adipose tissue dysfunction and inflammation In particular these pollutants interfere with several function of endocrine system and so they are called endocrine disrupting chemicals EDC Among these compounds bisphenol A BPA primarily used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins could represent a causative link between chemical exposure and the “obesogen hypothesis” 1 2 4 BPA is an ubiquitous lipophilic compound with oestrogenic activity and it is able for example to migrate from can coatings into foods and beverages during storage depending on heating process contact with oil or acetic acid 1 3Human BPA exposure is controversially discussed in nonoccupational subjects For its worldwide chronic presence BPA is detectable in human serum urine amniotic fluid placental tissue and umbilical cord blood 4 5 The total number of epidemiological and toxicological studies in humans are still very small Several researches involving in vitro and in vivo models including humans wildlife species and laboratory animals were focused on the mechanistic basis of BPA action in different experimental conditions 1 3 4 5 Current limitations in understanding the global consequences of BPA exposure include incomplete understanding of the cell/tissue specific actions and effects particularly at different critical windows of susceptibility during the entire lifespan 1 3 4 5 6
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