Maternal bisphenol a exposure promotes the development of experimental asthma in mouse pups

Terumi Midoro-Horiuti, Ruby Tiwari, Cheryl S. Watson, Randall M. Goldblum

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

123 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: We recently reported that various environmental estrogens induce mast cell degranulation and enhance IgE-mediated release of allergic mediators in vitro. Objectives: We hypothesized that environmental estrogens would enhance allergic sensitization as well as bronchial inflammation and responsiveness. To test this hypothesis, we exposed fetal and neonatal mice to the common environmental estrogen bisphenol A (BPA) via maternal loading and assessed the pups' response to allergic sensitization and bronchial challenge. Methods: Female BALB/c mice received 10 μg/mL BPA in their drinking water from 1 week before impregnation to the end of the study. Neonatal mice were given a single 5 μg intraperitoneal dose of ovalbumin (OVA) with aluminum hydroxide on postnatal day 4 and 3% OVA by nebulization for 10 min on days 13, 14, and 15. Forty-eight hours after the last nebulization, we assessed serum IgE antibodies to OVA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness by enumerating eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, whole-body barometric plethysmography, and a forced oscillation technique. Results: Neonates from BPA-exposed mothers responded to this "suboptimal" sensitization with higher serum IgE anti-OVA concentrations compared with those from unexposed mothers (p < 0.05), and eosinophilic inflammation in their airways was significantly greater. Airway responsiveness of the OVA-sensitized neonates from BPA-treated mothers was enhanced compared with those from unexposed mothers (p< 0.05). Conclusions: Perinatal exposure to BPA enhances allergic sensitization and bronchial inflammation and responsiveness in a susceptible animal model of asthma.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)273-277
Number of pages5
JournalEnvironmental health perspectives
Volume118
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2010

Keywords

  • Airway hyperresponsiveness
  • Asthma
  • Bisphenol A
  • Environmental estrogen
  • Eosinophilia
  • Experimental asthma
  • IgE
  • Maternal exposure
  • Perinatal sensitization

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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