title: Correlation of endocrine disrupting chemicals serum levels and white blood cells gene expression of nuclear receptors in a population of infertile women.
abstract: Significant evidence supports that many endocrine disrupting chemicals could affect female reproductive health. Aim of this study was to compare the internal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), monoethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in serum samples of 111 infertile women and 44 fertile women. Levels of gene expression of nuclear receptors (ER α , ER β , AR, AhR, PXR, and PPAR γ ) were also analyzed as biomarkers of effective dose. The percentage of women with BPA concentrations above the limit of detection was significantly higher in infertile women than in controls. No statistically significant difference was found with regard to PFOS, PFOA, MEHP and DEHP. Infertile patients showed gene expression levels of ER α , ER β , AR, and PXR significantly higher than controls. In infertile women, a positive association was found between BPA and MEHP levels and ER α , ER β , AR, AhR, and PXR expression. PFOS concentration positively correlated with AR and PXR expression. PFOA levels negatively correlated with AhR expression. No correlation was found between DEHP levels and all evaluated nuclear receptors. This study underlines the need to provide special attention to substances that are still widely present in the environment and to integrate exposure measurements with relevant indicators of biological effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Sciences and Urological Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", S. Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy ; Department of Woman Health and Territory's Medicine, University of Rome "Sapienza", S. Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caserta
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciardo
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bordi
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerranti
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fanello
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perra
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Borghini
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Rocca
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tait
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bergamasco
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stecca
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marci
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lo Monte
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Soave
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Focardi
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moscarini