title: Bisphenol-A and Female Infertility: A Possible Role of Gene-Environment Interactions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bisphenol-A (BPA) is widely used and ubiquitous in the environment. Animal studies indicate that BPA affects reproduction, however, the gene-environment interaction mechanism(s) involved in this association remains unclear. We performed a literature review to summarize the evidence on this topic.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed using as keywords BPA, gene, infertility and female reproduction. Full-text articles in both human and animals published in English prior to December 2014 were selected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evidence shows that BPA can interfere with endocrine function of hypothalamic-pituitary axis, such as by changing gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRH) secretion in hypothalamus and promoting pituitary proliferation. Such actions affect puberty, ovulation and may even result in infertility. Ovary, uterus and other reproductive organs are also targets of BPA. BPA exposure impairs the structure and functions of female reproductive system in different times of life cycle and may contribute to infertility. Both epidemiological and experimental evidences demonstrate that BPA affects reproduction-related gene expression and epigenetic modification that are closely associated with infertility. The detrimental effects on reproduction may be lifelong and transgenerational.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence on gene-environment interactions, especially from human studies, is still limited. Further research on this topic is warranted.
authors.affiliation: MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1665 Kong Jiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Xiaona
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.affiliation: MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1665 Kong Jiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China. simpledandan1981@163.com.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541004, China. hyhup3@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yonghua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1665 Kong Jiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China. windy5490@163.com.|School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China. windy5490@163.com.
authors.forename: Wenting
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1665 Kong Jiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China. windy5490@163.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1665 Kong Jiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China. junjimzhang@gmail.com.|School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541004, China. junjimzhang@gmail.com.|School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China. junjimzhang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D010636:Phenols; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: bisphenol-A; epigenetics; female; gene; infertility