Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (BADGE) and Bisphenol Analogs, but Not Bisphenol A (BPA), Activate the CatSper Ca(2+) Channel in Human Sperm.

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Rehfeld A, Andersson AM, Skakkebaek NE

Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (BADGE) and Bisphenol Analogs, but Not Bisphenol A (BPA), Activate the CatSper Ca(2+) Channel in Human Sperm.

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 May 19;11:324. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00324. eCollection 2020.

PubMed ID

32508751 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

Aim: Evidence suggests that bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), bisphenol A (BPA), and BPA analogs can interfere with human male fertility. However, the effect directly on human sperm function is not known. The CatSper Ca(2+) channel in human sperm controls important sperm functions and is necessary for normal male fertility. Environmental chemicals have been shown to activate CatSper and thereby affect Ca(2+) signaling in human sperm. BPA has previously been investigated for effects on Ca(2+) signaling human sperm, whereas the effects of other BPA analogs are currently unknown. The aim of this study is thus to characterize the effect of BADGE, BPA, and the eight analogs BPG, BPAF, BPC, BPB, BPBP, BPE, BPF, BPS on Ca(2+) signaling, and CatSper in human sperm. Methods: Direct effects of the bisphenols on Ca(2+) signaling in human sperm cells were evaluated using a Ca(2+) fluorimetric assay measuring changes in intracellular Ca(2+). Effects via CatSper were assessed using the specific CatSper inhibitor RU1968. Effects on human sperm function was assessed using an image cytometry-based acrosome reaction assay and the modified Kremer's sperm-mucus penetration assay. Results: At 10 muM the bisphenols BPG, BPAF, BPC, BADGE, BPB, and BPBP induced Ca(2+) signals in human sperm cells, whereas BPE, BPF, BPS, and BPA had no effect. The efficacy of the chemicals at 10 muM is BPG > BPAF > BPC > BADGE > BPB > BPBP. Dose-response relations of BPG, BPAF, BPC, BADGE, BPB, and BPBP yielded EC50-values in the nM-muM range. The induced Ca(2+) signals were almost completely abolished using the CatSper inhibitor RU1968, indicating an effect of the bisphenols on CatSper. All bisphenols, except BPBP, were found to dose-dependently inhibit progesterone-induced Ca(2+) signals, with BPG and BPAF displaying inhibition even in low muM doses. BPG and BPAF were shown to affect human sperm function in a progesterone-like manner. Conclusion: Our results show that the bisphenols BPG, BPAF, BPC, BADGE, BPB, and BPBP can affect Ca(2+) signaling in human sperm cells through activation of CatSper. This could potentially disrupt human sperm function by interfering with normal CatSper-signaling and thus be a contributing factor in human infertility, either alone or in mixtures with other chemicals.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether	Cation channel sperm-associated protein 1	Protein	Humans	Unknown	Activator	Details