Role of copeptin as a novel biomarker of bisphenol A toxic effects on cardiac tissues: biochemical, histological, immunohistological, and genotoxic study

Copeptin is a precursor for arginine vasopressin which is usually elevated in acute stress and cardiac emergencies. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an ideal plasticizing factor used in manufacturing of plastics and epoxy resins. To evaluate the cardio toxicity of bisphenol A and to assess copeptin as a cardio toxic diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in Wistar rats. Sixty Wistar rats were classified into three groups: group I, naive group received regular diet and water; group II, vehicle group administered corn oil; and group III, each rat received BPA daily with (30 mg/kg/day S.C). After 4 weeks, blood samples were collected for estimating serum copeptin levels. Then, the hearts were subjected to histological, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic examination. Cell suspensions from the hearts were examined to determine the extent of DNA damage by comet assay. Bisphenol A induced a significant increase in mean values of serum copeptin level, histopathological changes in the form of dilated congested blood vessels and extensive collagen fiber deposition in the myocardium. Ultrastructurally, disturbed indented nuclei, focal lysis of myofibrils, normal cross striations loss, mitochondrial swelling, and intercalated disks distortion were noticed. Immunohistochemical study showed a significant increase in TLR2 immunoreactions in the myocytes of BPA administered rats. In addition, comet assay showed that bisphenol A exposure produced DNA damage in cardiac cells. We concluded that bisphenol A has deleterious effects on cardiac tissues mean, while copeptin is a good diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.