[The JSOT Young Scientist Award 3] Endocrine-disrupting effects of bisphenol A (BPA) and its related compounds: Studies focusing on the interactions between bisphenols and estrogen receptor β (ERβ)

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA), a monomer used in the formation of polycarbonate plastic, is regarded as an endocrine disruptor that can exert estrogenic effects via estrogen receptors α/β (ERα/β). We investigated the effects of BPA and its related compounds on biological responses of human breast cancer cells. 4-Methyl-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pent-1-ene (MBP), an active metabolite of BPA, significantly downregulated ERα expression and stimulated the proliferation of MCF-7 cells through activation of ERβ. BPAF, an analog of BPA, stimulated ERβ without affecting the expression of ERβ in MDA-MB-231 cells.