We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Sex-specific effects of prenatal bisphenol A exposure on transcriptome-interactome profiles of autism candidate genes in neural stem cells from offspring hippocampus
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed pregnant rats to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in many plastics, and examined how it affected the brain stem cells of offspring, finding that male pups showed significantly greater disruption to genes linked to autism spectrum disorder. The results suggest that prenatal BPA exposure may contribute to the higher rates of autism seen in males by altering how key brain genes are expressed during early development.
Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting chemical, is increasingly linked to the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study investigates the effects of prenatal BPA exposure on neural stem cells (NSCs) from the hippocampi of rat offspring, a brain region critical for neurodevelopment and implicated in ASD. Pregnant rats were administered with BPA or vehicle control once daily via oral gavage from gestational day 1 until parturition. NSCs were isolated from the offspring's hippocampi on postnatal day 1, and RNA sequencing was performed to examine transcriptomic alterations. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through RNA-seq and further analyzed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) to explore disrupted pathways. In addition, in vitro proliferation assays were conducted, utilizing immunofluorescence staining for Sox2, a stem cell marker, and BrdU to quantify proliferating NSCs. Our results revealed that prenatal BPA exposure induced sex-specific alterations in NSC gene expression, with ASD-related genes such as Atp1a3, Nefl, and Grin1 being particularly dysregulated in male offspring. Moreover, sex-specific changes in NSC proliferation were observed. The study underscores BPA's potential as an environmental risk factor for ASD, emphasizing the need for further research into its role in sex-specific neurodevelopmental effects.
More Papers Like This
Sex-specific impacts of prenatal bisphenol A exposure on genes associated with cortical development, social behaviors, and autism in the offspring’s prefrontal cortex
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) — a chemical found in some plastics and food can linings — disrupted the expression of genes in the prefrontal cortex linked to brain development, social behavior, and autism spectrum disorder, with the effects differing significantly between male and female offspring. The findings suggest BPA exposure during pregnancy may contribute to sex differences observed in autism-related brain changes.
Sex differences in the effects of prenatal bisphenol A exposure on autism-related genes and their relationships with the hippocampus functions
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how prenatal bisphenol A exposure affects autism-related genes and hippocampal function in rat offspring. The study found that BPA exposure disrupted neurite growth and gene expression in both sexes, but reduced neuronal viability and impaired learning and memory only in male offspring, suggesting sex-dependent vulnerability that may relate to the higher prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in males.
Autism-Related Transcription Factors Underlying the Sex-Specific Effects of Prenatal Bisphenol A Exposure on Transcriptome-Interactome Profiles in the Offspring Prefrontal Cortex
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that prenatal bisphenol A exposure disrupted transcriptome-interactome profiles in the prefrontal cortex of neonatal rats in a sex-specific manner, with BPA-responsive genes significantly overlapping with known autism spectrum disorder candidate genes.
Investigation of autism-related transcription factors underlying sex differences in the effects of bisphenol A on transcriptome profiles and synaptogenesis in the offspring hippocampus
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how prenatal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure affects autism-related gene expression differently in male and female rat offspring. The study found sex-specific differences in transcription factor activity and synaptogenesis in the hippocampus, with the androgen receptor playing a key role in BPA-mediated regulation of autism candidate genes.
Prenatal bisphenol A exposure perturbs sex-dependent transcriptomic regionalization of autism-associated genes in the developing brain
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reanalyzed published RNA-sequencing data from rat offspring prenatally exposed to BPA and found that BPA disrupted transcriptomic regionalization between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in a sex-dependent manner, altering the regional expression of autism-associated genes including Msx2 and Syncrip, with changes correlating with behavioral outcomes.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.