Biotransformation of bisphenol AF to its major glucuronide metabolite reduces estrogenic activity

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 13;8(12):e83170. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083170. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Bisphenol AF (BPAF), an endocrine disrupting chemical, can induce estrogenic activity through binding to estrogen receptor (ER). However, the metabolism of BPAF in vivo and the estrogenic activity of its metabolites remain unknown. In the present study, we identified four metabolites including BPAF diglucuronide, BPAF glucuronide (BPAF-G), BPAF glucuronide dehydrated and BPAF sulfate in the urine of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. BPAF-G was further characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). After treatment with a single dose of BPAF, BPAF was metabolized rapidly to BPAF-G, as detected in the plasma of SD rats. Biotransformation of BPAF to BPAF-G was confirmed with human liver microsomes (HLM), and Vmax of glucuronidation for HLM was 11.6 nmol/min/mg. We also found that BPAF glucuronidation could be mediated through several human recombinant UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) including UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A8, UGT1A9, UGT2B4, UGT2B7, UGT2B15 and UGT2B17, among which UGT2B7 showed the highest efficiency of glucuronidation. To explain the biological function of BPAF biotransformation, the estrogenic activities of BPAF and BPAF-G were evaluated in ER-positive breast cancer T47D and MCF7 cells. BPAF significantly stimulates ER-regulated gene expression and cell proliferation at the dose of 100 nM and 1 μM in breast cancer cells. However, BPAF-G did not show any induction of estrogenic activity at the same dosages, implying that formation of BPAF-G is a potential host defense mechanism against BPAF. Based on our study, biotransformation of BPAF to BPAF-G can eliminate BPAF-induced estrogenic activity, which is therefore considered as reducing the potential threat to human beings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Benzhydryl Compounds / pharmacokinetics*
  • Benzhydryl Compounds / pharmacology
  • Biotransformation / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Endocrine Disruptors / pharmacokinetics*
  • Endocrine Disruptors / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Glucuronides / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism*
  • Phenols / pharmacokinetics*
  • Phenols / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Benzhydryl Compounds
  • Endocrine Disruptors
  • Glucuronides
  • Phenols
  • 4,4'-hexafluorisopropylidene diphenol

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 41273132 and 21207008, http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/Portal0/default166.htm) and the Beijing Municipal Senior Technical Training Plan for the Health System. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.