Epigenetic Alteration Shaped by the Environmental Chemical Bisphenol A

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is extensively used in plastic products and epoxy resins. The epigenetic response to the environmental chemical BPA was involved in multiple dysfunctional categories, such as cancer, the reproductive system, metabolism, pubertal development, peripheral arterial disease, infant and childhood growth, and neurodevelopment outcomes. In this mini-review, we described the recent progress of the epigenetic effects of the environmental chemical BPA, including DNA methylation, histone methylation, and toxic epigenomics. Notably, the histone modification changes under BPA exposure are summarized in this review. DNA methylation accompanied by transcriptional changes in key genes affected by BPA exposure is related to various processes, including neural development, cancer pathways, and generational transmission. In addition, BPA could also affect histone modifications in many species, such as humans, rats, and zebrafish. Finally, we reviewed recent studies of the toxico-epigenomics approach to reveal the epigenetic effect of BPA exposure genome-wide.

Keywords: DNA methylation; bisphenol A; epigenetic alteration; histone modifications; toxico-epigenomics.