Altered allergic cytokine and antibody response in mice treated with Bisphenol

The Objective of this study was to elucidate if Bisphenol A (BPA) administration modulates T helper (Th) cell component of immune responses in a mouse challenged with ovalbumin (OVA), a major food antigen. BALB/cmice, (6weeks old, female) were orally given either OVA (OVA-fed) or water (Water-fed), immunized intraperitoneally with OVA and injected with either BPA in corn oil or the vehicle alone. After subsequent 2nd immunization, serum titers of total IgE, OVA-specific IgE, IgG, IgG1 IgG2a and ability of their splenocytes for production ofinterferon(IFN)-gamma, interleukin(IL) -4 and IL-12 were examined by ELISA. Lymphocyte proliferation assay against concanavalin A(ConA) or OVA was also performed for H-3-Thymidine incorporation. In Water-fed groups, treatment with BPA resulted in lower titers of total IgE(P<0.01) and higher levels IgG2a (P<0.05) followed by a higher IFN-gamma (P<0.05) and IL-12 (P< 0.05) with an intact IL-4. When OVA-fed groups were examined, the compound did not change production of total and OVA-specific IgE and-IgG2a but resulted in lower production of IFN-gamma (P< 0.05). Also, BPA resulted in impaired lymphocyte proliferation to Con A in Water-fed groups (P< 0.05) but not in tolerated animals. The findings indicate that BPA results in augmentation of Th1 immune responses but no significant effect on an established tolerance to OVA.