International Journal of Molecular and Cellular Medicine (IJMCM)

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an industrial xenoestrogen used widely in our living environment. Recently, several studies suggested that BPA has destructive effects on DNA and chromosomes in normal body cells via estrogen receptors (ER). Therefore, BPA could be considered as an important mediator in many diseases such as cancer. However, there are still many controversial issues which need clarification. In this study, we investigated the BPA-induced chromosomal damages in MCF-7 cell line, ER-positive and negative amniocyte cells. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity effects of BPA were also compared between these three cell groups. Expression of estrogen receptors was determined using immunocytochemistry technique. The cell cytotoxicity of BPA was measured by MTT assay. Classic cytogenetic technique was carried out for the investigation of chromosome damage. BPA, in addition to cytotoxicity, had remarkable genotoxicity at concentrations close to the traceable levels in tissues or biological fluids. Although some differences were observed in the amount of damages between ER-positive and negative fetal cells, interestingly, these differences were not significant. The present study showed that BPA could lead to chromosomal aberrations in both ER-dependent and independent pathways at some concentrations or in cell types yet not reported. Also, BPA could probably be considered as a facilitator for some predisposed cells to be cancerous by raising the chromosome instability levels. Finally, estrogen receptor seems to have a different role in cytotoxicity and genotoxicity effects.