This document summarizes a study on the effects of prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) bisphenol A (BPA) and diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), individually and in combination. Rats were exposed to BPA, DEHP, or both during gestation. Prenatal EDC exposure decreased birth weight and head circumference. In female offspring, it disrupted reproductive cycles and increased cardiovascular measures like blood pressure and heart rate. The authors conclude that EDCs can program fetal development and cause adult health disorders, highlighting the need to limit human and environmental EDC exposures through better regulation and disposal strategies. More research is also needed to understand developmental effects and epigenetic

1. Sheba M.J. MohanKumar, Joseph Henriquez,
Arthanari Kannan, Kelly Stewart, Rhyomi Sellnow and
P.S. MohanKumar
Neuroendocrine Research Laboratory, College of
Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, E.
Lansing, MI, USA

2. EDCs-BPA
Bisphenol-A
6 billion pounds around the
world
200,000 pounds released into
the environment every year
Humans are exposed to more
than 50μg/kg BW/day

3. EDCs-DEHP
Diethyl hexyl
phthalate-DEHP
18 billion pounds
around the world
Household dust has
400-700mg of DEHP

4. EDC exposures- relevance to
One health
Leaching of EDCs from lining of food cans-glucose,
sodium chloride content favors leaching
Human contact through EDC-coated paper-sales
receipts.
Animals chew on plastic toys

5. EDCs – a One health problem
Cows grazing on plastic
Plastic removed from
rumen
EDCs in milk/meat?
Human exposures

6. EDC mixtures
Exposure to mixtures are more common than
individual exposures
Our studies used a combination of BPA and DEHP
BPA
Reproductive effects
Metabolic disorders-obesity
Cardiovascular dysfunction
DEHP
Very little is known.
Inhibit spermatogenesis- effect likely mediated through
PPAR alpha
 Decreases interferon alpha


7. Prenatal exposures to EDC mixtures
Hypothesis:
Prenatal exposure to EDCs
?
?
Intrauterine growth
Retardation
Programing of the fetus
Adult onset disorders

8. Approach:
• Adult female Sprague Dawley rats, bred
• BPA 5 μg/kg BW, DEHP 7.5 mg/kg BW or
BPA+DEHP given by oral gavage- day 6-21 of
gestation
• Morphometric measures- birth weight etc.
• Cyclicity in female offspring were measured
by vaginal cytology
• Implanted with radio-telemeters to measure
blood pressure

9. 9
Weight (g)
8
*
7
6
5
4
3
Control
BPA
DEHP BPA-DEHP
Treatment
Head circumference (mm)
Birth weight and head
circumference
42
41
40
*
39
38
37
*
*
36
35
Control
BPA
DEHP BPA-DEHP
Treatment

10. Adult disorders- Irregularity of
reproductive cycles
Regular
Irregular
80
60
40
20
Treatment Groups
B
+D
D
EH
P
B
PA
on
tr
ol
0
C
Percentage of animals
100

11. tr
ol
D
EH
P
B
PA
on
Treatment groups
B
PA
+D
EH
P
D
EH
P
B
PA
ol
0
tr
50
on
100
Diastolic pressure (mmHg)
150
C
B
PA
+D
EH
P
C
Systolic Pressure (mm Hg)
Changes in cardiovascular
function
150
100
50
0
Treatment groups

12. tr
ol
D
EH
P
Treatment groups
BP
A+
HP
HP
A
450
DE
DE
BP
0
ol
10
tr
20
on
30
Heart rate (beats/min)
*
C
40
B
PA
on
50
B
PA
+D
EH
P
C
Pulse Pressure (mm Hg)
Cardiovascular function ctd..
*
400
350
300
Treatment groups

13. Summary and conclusions:
•
•
•
•
•
Prenatal exposures to EDCs affects birth weight
EDCs and mixtures decrease head
circumference
EDCs and mixtures affect cardiovascular
function
Changes in epigenetic mechanisms need to be
studied
Effects on metabolic disorders need to be
investigated

14. Preventing EDC-induced adult disorders
• Limit exposures- strategies for
regulating disposal and usage.
• Stabilize plastics-prevent leaching.
• Conduct detailed studies on
developmental effects-prenatal and
postnatal before using new chemicals
in manufacture.
• Public awareness- early detection of
disorders

15. Acknowledgement
• Dr. Gregory Fink, MSU
• Hannah Garver
• MSU AgBioresearch
• CVM-MSU