Hepatotoxic Effect of Bisphenol A in Rats, an Immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural Study

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the common environmental endocrine disruptors with estrogenic properties and is the building block of carbonate plastic and a component of resin coatings. The present experiment was designed to make a systematic study of experimentally induced BPA toxicity in both male and female Wistar albino rats at 500 and 250 mg/Kg b.wt. to groups II, V and III, VI respectively by mixing in sunflower oil for 12 weeks. In the present study significant increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and decrease in antioxidant enzyme levels like catalase, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione and glutathione peroxidase were observed in liver of all BPA treated rats when compared to corresponding controls. Histopathologically, the liver revealed binucleated cells, hyper chromatic nuclei, karyomegaly, extensive bile duct proliferation with dysplasia and proliferation of endothelial cells in BPA treated groups in dose dependent manner. Histochemically more intense alkaline phosphatase reaction was noticed in hepatocytes around central vein, Immunohistochemically increased expression of VEGF was observed in hepatocytes around central vein, Ultra structurally, hepatocytes of BPA treated groups revealed decreased mitochondria with degeneration, fragmented endoplasmic reticulum and clumping of nuclear chromatin.