Let's talk about BPA
Beginning approximately eight decades ago, BPA became an essential component in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, the role which BPA is most strongly associated with today. BPA is able to induce reproductive defects, teratogenic phenotypes, and liver disease through the alteration of gene expression, known as epimutations. BPA is unique in that some of its epimutations occur in sperm or eggs of exposed parents, causing the diseases induced by the epimutations to be passed down to the next generation even if they have not been exposed (i.e., transgenerational epimutations).
"Forever Chemicals"
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) is a member of the Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) family of chemicals, a group that has well documented oleophobic and hydrophobic properties. These features have proven extremely useful in the manufacturing of goods making the interaction with these chemicals nearly ubiquitous in our daily lives. Due to the constant presence of PFOS, the environment has become contaminated with this chemical, as a result, its bioaccumulation has occurred in both animals and humans. This is a great concern as links have been established between PFOS exposure and defects that affect thyroid regulation, reproduction, early development, immune response, and liver health as well as an increase in prevalence of certain types of cancers.
My research within the Bhandari Lab
Human and non-human organisms have been exposed to BPA extensively in previous generations due to its ubiquitous presence in the environment resulting in the passage of transgenerational epimutations to future generations. However, their offspring have also experienced novel exposure to contemporary environmental chemicals of emerging concern (CECs), including PFOS.
It is not clearly understood if individuals with a history of ancestral exposure to BPA are insensitive or ultrasensitive to PFOS exposure. My research examines these unique exposure effects using the fifth and sixth generation offspring of medaka fish (Orizias latipes), whose first generation ancestors were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of BPA. We are currently focusing on fertility, fecundity, teratogenic phenotypes, liver disease, as well as oxidative stress, DNA methylation, and liver representative genes expression as endpoints.
It is not clearly understood if individuals with a history of ancestral exposure to BPA are insensitive or ultrasensitive to PFOS exposure. My research examines these unique exposure effects using the fifth and sixth generation offspring of medaka fish (Orizias latipes), whose first generation ancestors were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of BPA. We are currently focusing on fertility, fecundity, teratogenic phenotypes, liver disease, as well as oxidative stress, DNA methylation, and liver representative genes expression as endpoints.
Fun Fact: We use medaka fish for a very important reason. Medaka process epigenome in the embryo and germline stem cells using the same mechanisms as humans and mice do and share the same xx and xy sex determination as humans. Therefore, mechanisms observed in medaka fish may give significant insights into environmentally induced heritable health effects in humans and other mammals.