[BISPHENOL A--AN INFAMOUS MOLECULE]

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a monomer found in plastic products used daily for the storage and consumption of food and beverages, such as plastic bottles, containers, and even toys. The molecule leaches out into the food, increasingly if exposed to warm temperatures and high acidity. BPA is known for many negative effects on the human body; for instance it acts as an xenoestrogen and influences fertility and gestation and might also have carcinogenic effects, causing breast and prostate cancer. Although it has not yet been proven as a direct cause of autoimmunity, many of the effects of BPA can be related to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease (AID). Its estrogenic behavior modulates the immune system, it encourages the secretion of Prolactin that is known to be associated to AID, it creates oxidative stress that triggers the immune system and so on. Therefore there is room to advise individuals at risk for AID to avoid the consumption of BPA, similar to guidelines for pregnant women.