Differences in serum bisphenol A concentrations in premenopausal normal women and women with endometrial hyperplasia

Abstract

Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been raised in relation to its potential for adverse health outcomes. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogenic EDC widely found in plastic products. We determined BPA concentrations in premenopausal women by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and evaluated possible linkage between its contamination levels and endometrial hyperplasia, an estrogen-related disorder of the uterus. It has been implied that higher levels of BPA, which binds to estrogen receptor and plays estrogenic roles may, enhance endometrial hyperplasia. Serum BPA was detectable in all subjects and its concentrations in healthy controls with normal endometrium were 2.5 ± 1.5 ng/ml (mean ± SD). BPA levels in patients with simple endometrial hyperplasia with benign nature were 2.9 ± 2.0 ng/ml and were not significantly different from the controls. Unexpectedly, BPA levels in patients with complex endometrial hyperplasia with malignant potential were 1.4 ± 0.4 ng/ml and significantly lower compared to both control and simple endometrial hyperplasia groups. In addition, we measured the serum BPA levels in postmenopausal endometrial cancer patient (1.4 ± 0.5 ng/ml), which were also significantly lower than control and simple endometrial hyperplasia groups. These findings suggest the presence of associations between BPA exposure and complex endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer. The mode of action of BPA may be more complex than expected and the contradictory results may serve as a clue to addressing the mechanisms of linkage between occurrence of estrogen-dependent diseases and endocrine disruption.