Serum bisphenol A concentrations correlate with serum testosterone levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

• Published in: Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) Vol. 82; pp. 32 - 37
• Main Authors: Konieczna, Aleksandra, Rachoń, Dominik, Owczarek, Katarzyna, Kubica, Paweł, Kowalewska, Agnieszka, Kudłak, Błażej, Wasik, Andrzej, Namieśnik, Jacek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Androgens - blood; Benzhydryl Compounds - blood; Bisphenol A; Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC); Endocrine Disruptors - blood; Environmental exposure; Female; Humans; Phenols - blood; Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - blood; Reproductive endocrinology; Testosterone - blood; Toxicology; Young Adult; Bisphenol A; Environmental exposure; Toxicology; Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC); Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); Reproductive endocrinology
• ISSN: 0890-6238; 1873-1708
• DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2018.09.006

•Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the common endocrinopathy of reproductive age.•Potential role of environmental factors in the pathogenesis remains unknown.•Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor, interacting with estrogen receptors.•Women with PCOS have higher serum concentrations of BPA than healthy controls.•Serum BPA concentrations correlate with testosterone and FAI. The aim of this study was to determine serum bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations using high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (n = 106, age range 18–40 yrs) and to evaluate its potential impact on their hormonal and metabolic profile. The control group consisted of age- and BMI-matched 80 eumenorrheic women with no clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism. Our results showed that women with PCOS had significantly higher serum BPA concentrations than healthy controls (geometric mean and [95% CI]: 0.202 ng/mL [0.150; 0.255] vs. 0.154 ng/mL [0.106; 0.201], P = 0.035), which correlated positively with serum total testosterone (TST) (R=0.285, P = 0.004) and the free androgen index (FAI) (R = 0.196, P = 0.049). There were no significant correlations between serum BPA and BMI, waist circumference, serum glucose, insulin and lipids. These results point to the potential role of BPA in the pathogenesis of the ovarian hyperandrogenism in women with PCOS.