Anxiety like behavior due to perinatal exposure to Bisphenol-A is associated with decrease in excitatory to...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Endocrinology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic endocrine disruptor linked to anxiety-like behaviors in rodents.
• The precise mechanisms underlying BPA-induced anxiety, particularly involving synaptic regulation, remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of perinatal BPA exposure on anxiety-like behavior.
• To analyze the expression of key excitatory (PSD95), inhibitory (gephyrin), and presynaptic (synaptophysin) proteins in male mice.
• To determine the relationship between BPA exposure, synaptic protein alterations, and anxiety.

Main Methods:

• Perinatal exposure of male mice to BPA.
• Behavioral testing using Open Field (OF) and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) tests.
• Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assays to quantify PSD95, gephyrin, and synaptophysin expression in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.

Main Results:

• BPA exposure significantly reduced central zone exploration in the OF test and open arm exploration in the EPM test, indicating anxiety-like behavior.
• Downregulation of PSD95 and synaptophysin, alongside upregulation of gephyrin, was observed in BPA-exposed mice.
• A decreased excitatory to inhibitory protein ratio and reduced synaptic density were evident in both 3 and 8-week-old postnatal mice.

Conclusions:

• Perinatal BPA exposure induces anxiety-like behaviors in male mice.
• These behaviors are associated with significant alterations in the expression of synaptic proteins, leading to a reduced excitatory-inhibitory balance.
• The findings highlight the disruption of synaptic density and function as a key mechanism underlying BPA-induced anxiety.