Bisphenol A exposure accelerated the aging process in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known environmental estrogenic disruptor that causes adverse effects. Recent studies have found that chronic exposure to BPA is associated with a high incidence of several age-related diseases. Aging is characterized by progressive function decline, which affects quality of life. However, the effects of BPA on the aging process are largely unknown. In the present study, by using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model, we investigated the influence of BPA exposure on the aging process. The decrease in body length, fecundity, and population size and the increased egg laying defection suggested that BPA exposure resulted in fitness loss and reproduction aging in this animal. Lifetime exposure of worms to BPA shortened the lifespan in a dose-dependant manner. Moreover, prolonged BPA exposure resulted in age-related behavior degeneration and the accumulation of lipofuscin and lipid peroxide products. The expression of mitochondria-specific HSP-6 and endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-related HSP-70 exhibited hormetic decrease. The expression of ER-related HSP-4 decreased significantly while HSP-16.2 showed a dose-dependent increase. The decreased expression of GCS-1 and GST-4 implicated the reduced antioxidant ability under BPA exposure, and the increase in SOD-3 expression might be caused by elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Finally, BPA exposure increased the generation of hydrogen peroxide-related ROS and superoxide anions. Our results suggest that BPA exposure resulted in an accelerated aging process in C. elegans mediated by the induction of oxidative stress.