Abstract
Background:
Despite widespread human exposure to biphenol A (BPA), limited studies exist on the association of BPA with adverse health outcomes in young children. This study aims to investigate the effect of prenatal exposure to BPA on toll-like receptor–induced cytokine responses in neonates and its association with infectious diseases later in life.
Methods:
Cord bloods were collected from 275 full-term neonates. Production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 were evaluated after stimulating mononuclear cells with toll-like receptor ligands (TLR1-4 and 7–8). Serum BPA concentrations were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Bacteria from nasopharyngeal specimens were identified with multiplex PCR and culture method.
Result:
Result showed significant association between cord BPA concentration and TLR3- and TLR4-stimulated TNF-α response (P = 0.001) and that of TLR78-stimulated IL-6 response (P = 0.03). Clinical analysis did not show prenatal BPA exposure to be correlated with infection or bacterial colonization during the first year of life.
Conclusion:
This is the first cohort study that indicated prenatal BPA exposure to play a part in TLR-related innate immune response of neonatal infants. However, despite an altered immune homeostasis, result did not show such exposure to be associated with increased risk of infection during early infancy.
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Liao, SL., Tsai, MH., Lai, SH. et al. Prenatal exposure to bisphenol-A is associated with Toll-like receptor–induced cytokine suppression in neonates. Pediatr Res 79, 438–444 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2015.234
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2015.234
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