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Developmental Exposure to Bisphenol A Impairs the Uterine Response to Ovarian Steroids in the Adult

Laboratorio de Endocrinología y Tumores Hormonodependientes, School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Enrique H. Luque, Ph.D., Laboratorio de Endocrinología y Tumores Hormonodependientes, School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Casilla de Correo 242, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina. E-mail: eluque{at}fbcb.unl.edu.ar.

Morphoregulator genes like members of the Hox gene family regulate uterine development and are associated with endocrine-related processes such as endometrial proliferation and differentiation in the adult uterus. Exposure to neonatal endocrine disruptors could affect signaling events governed by Hox genes, altering the developmental trajectory of the uterus with lasting consequences. We investigated whether neonatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) alters Hoxa10 and Hoxa11 mRNA uterine expression shortly after treatment as well as in the adult. Moreover, we studied whether xenoestrogen exposure may affect the adult uterine response to hormonal stimuli. Newborn females received vehicle, 0.05 mg/kg·d BPA, 20 mg/kgd BPA, or diethylstilbestrol (0.2 µg/kgd) on postnatal d 1, 3, 5, and 7). At postnatal d 8, real time RT-PCR assays showed a decrease in Hoxa10 and Hoxa11 expression in all xenoestrogen-treated groups. To evaluate the long-term effects, we used adult ovariectomized rats with hormonal replacement. The subepithelial stroma in BPA- and diethylstilbestrol-treated animals showed an impaired proliferative response to steroid treatment associated with a silencing of Hoxa10 but not associated with changes in the methylation pattern of the Hoxa10 promoter. BPA animals showed that the Hoxa10 reduction was accompanied by an increased stromal expression of the silencing mediator for retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor. The spatial coexpression of steroid receptors Hoxa10 and silencing mediator for retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor was established using immunofluorescence. Our data indicate that postnatal BPA exposure affects the steroid hormone-responsiveness of uterine stroma in adulthood. Whether this impaired hormonal response is associated with effects on uterine receptivity and decidualization is currently under investigation.