Positive Relationship between Androgen and the Endocrine Disruptor, Bisphenol A, in Normal Women and Women with Ovarian Dysfunction

• Published in: Endocrine Journal Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 165 - 169
• Main Authors: TAKEUCHI, Toru, TSUTSUMI, Osamu, IKEZUKI, Yumiko, TAKAI, Yasushi, TAKETANI, Yuji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japan Endocrine Society 01.04.2004
• Subjects: Androgen Antagonists - blood; Androgen Antagonists - pharmacology; Androstenedione - blood; Benzhydryl Compounds; Bisphenol A; Case-Control Studies; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate - blood; Endocrine Glands - drug effects; Female; Humans; Hyperprolactinemia; Hypothalamic amenorrhea; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Osmolar Concentration; Phenols - blood; Phenols - pharmacology; Polycystic ovary syndrome; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - blood; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - complications; Testosterone - blood
• ISSN: 0918-8959; 1348-4540
• DOI: 10.1507/endocrj.51.165

This study was performed to investigate the serum levels of bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor, in women with ovarian dysfunction and obesity. Fasting serum samples were obtained from 19 non-obese and 7 obese women with normal menstrual cycles: 7 patients with hyperprolactinemia, 21 patients with hypothalamic amenorrhea, and 13 non-obese and 6 obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). BPA was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. BPA was detected in all human sera. Serum BPA concentrations were significantly higher in both non-obese and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (1.05 ± 0.10 ng/ml, 1.17 ± 0.16 ng/ml; p<0.05, respectively) and obese normal women (1.04 ± 0.09 ng/ml, p<0.05) compared with those in non-obese normal women (0.71 ± 0.09 ng/ml). There was no difference among women with hyperprolactinemia, women with hypothalamic amenorrhea, and non-obese normal women. There were significant positive correlations between serum BPA and total testosterone (r = 0.391, p<0.001), free testosterone (r = 0.504, p<0.001), androstenedione (r = 0.684, p<0.001), and DHEAS (r = 0.514, p<0.001) concentrations in all subjects. These findings show that there is a strong relationship between serum BPA and androgen concentrations, speculatively due to the effect of androgen on the metabolism of BPA.