Bisphenol A and S, but Not F, Alter Oxidative Stress Levels in Spermatozoa

Exposures to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) have been linked to male reproductive dysfunction. The increase in prevalence of male infertility to date has been correlated with the widespread use of bisphenols, particularly bisphenol A and its analogs. Current literature suggests that exposure to EDCs is associated with abnormalities in spermatogenesis, as well as reduced sperm motility and morphology. At this time, the mechanism for bisphenols’ action in spermatozoa is still unknown, though it has been proposed that bisphenols alter sperm parameters by affecting their oxidative stress pathways. The aim of this project is to elucidate whether BPA and its analogs affect oxidative stress levels inducing decreased sperm quality and fertilization capability. An in vitro bovine model was used as the most appropriate translational model to humans. Motile spermatozoa were separated using Percoll gradient centrifugation of frozen-thawed sperm and a pilot experiment was conducted in a time-dependent manner to establish the ideal incubation time of 4 hours. Sperm was then incubated in five treatment groups: control, vehicle (0.01% ethanol), BPA, BPS, and BPF, at the physiological relevant dose of 0.05 mg/ml in 0.01% ethanol. Key reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger genes (superoxide mutase 1 [SOD1], superoxide mutase 2 [SOD2], catalase [CAT], glutathione peroxidase 1 [GPX1], glutathione peroxidase 4 [GPX4]) were quantified at the RNA level using qPCR. Of the five genes examined: BPA, BPS, and BPF exposure significantly decreased GPX4 expression (p<0.05) compared to control and vehicle groups. BPA and BPS exposure significantly increased SOD1 expression compared to BPF, control, and vehicle (p<0.05). No significant differences were found in GPX1 after bisphenols’ exposure. SOD2 and CAT expression was not detectable in all five groups suggesting a lack of expression in bovine sperm. Future investigations will involve experiments at the protein level and quantifying total ROS levels. Additionally, sperm morphology was evaluated using Spermac stain. Preliminary results indicate an increased number of abnormal spermatozoa with notably tail defects after 4 hours of bisphenols exposure. These initial findings support BPA and BPS’s ability to alter oxidative stress pathways in sperm via changes in antioxidant enzymes but suggest that BPF likely acts through different mechanisms. Overall, this research aims to understand the effects of bisphenols on male fertility to improve male factors during assisted reproductive biotechnologies.