Bisphenol S Induces Adipogenesis in Primary Human Preadipocytes From Female Donors

Human exposure to bisphenol A has been associated with negative health outcomes in humans and its use is now regulated in a number of countries. Bisphenol S (BPS) is increasingly used as a replacement for bisphenol A; however, its effects on cellular metabolism and potential role as an endocrine disruptor have not been fully characterized. In the current study, we evaluated the effect of BPS on adipogenesis in primary human preadipocytes. The effect of BPS on the differentiation of human preadipocytes was determined after treatment with BPS at concentrations ranging from 0.1 nM to 25 μM by quantifying lipid accumulation and mRNA and protein levels of key adipogenic markers. Treatment of preadipocytes with 25 μM BPS induced lipid accumulation and increased the mRNA and protein levels of several adipogenic markers including lipoprotein lipase and adipocyte protein 2 (aP2). Cotreatment of cells with the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI-182,780 significantly inhibited BPS-induced lipid accumulation and affected aP2 but not lipoprotein lipase protein levels. Cotreatment of cells with the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU486 had no effect on BPS-induced lipid accumulation or protein levels. Furthermore, reporter gene assays using a synthetic promoter containing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARG)-response elements and a PPARG-responsive human aP2 promoter region showed that BPS was able to activate PPARG. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that BPS induces lipid accumulation and differentiation of primary human preadipocytes, and this effect may be mediated through a PPARG pathway.