Effects and regulatory mechanisms of bisphenol a on the increases apoptosis and decreases differentiation potential in mouse embryonic stem cells.

Bisphenol A has deleterious effects on reproductive, developmental, cell biological, and physiological functions. Here, we investigated the dosage effects of bisphenol A on the differentiation potential and apoptosis of mouse embryonic stem cells, and assessed some relevant regulatory mechanisms. Our results showed that bisphenol A at doses of 1-2 μmol/L triggers apoptotic processes without necrotic cell death in the ESC-B5 mouse embryonic stem cell line. No death effect was seen at treatment dosages of 0.5 μmol/L or less. Mechanistically, the application of 1-2 μmol/L bisphenol A directly increased the intracellular oxidative stress levels, significantly increased the cytoplasmic calcium and nitric oxide contents, decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential, activated caspases-9 and -3, and triggered programmed cell death. Interestingly, embryoid body formation assays showed that 0.5 μmol/L bisphenol A decreased the differentiation potential of ESC-B5 cells without inducing apoptotic processes. Together, our results indicate that treatment with 1-2 μmol/L bisphenol A induces apoptosis and triggers hazardous effects on the differentiation and developmental potential of mouse embryonic stem cells in vitro. These results provide important evidence that bisphenol A should be considered a potent cytotoxin that has dose-dependent impacts on differentiation and apoptosis in a mouse embryonic stem cell line.