Wu Wenying, Su Zhongjing, Luo Congying, Li Jiejie, Yu Xinle, Xie Han, Wu Ganglong, Wang Dinghui, Wu Kusheng
Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China.
Department of Histology and Embryology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China.
Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2025 Mar;496:117245. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2025.117245. Epub 2025 Jan 26.
Bisphenol F (BPF), a substitute for bisphenol A (BPA), is widely used in consumer products, increasing the potential for environmental exposure. Our study investigated the reproductive effects of BPF on adult male zebrafish and explored its toxicological mechanisms, as well as its intergenerational effects.
Adult male zebrafish were exposed to BPF concentrations of 0, 50, 500, 2500, and 5000 nM for 21 days. We evaluated sperm cell quantity and quality, hormonal markers testosterone (T) and vitellogenin (VTG), gene expression profiles related to hormone synthesis, metabolism, apoptosis, cell cycle, sexual behavior, and offspring health metrics including survival, development and locomotion.
BPF exposure did not significantly affect body weight or gonadal index. However, at 500 and 2500 nM, a significant reduction in sperm count was observed. BPF exposure led to decreased serum T and increased hepatic VTG levels, indicating hormonal disruption. At 50 nM, BPF initiated sperm apoptosis, and at higher doses, it disrupted sperm meiosis, affecting cell distribution. This exposure negatively impacted sperm quality, reduced offspring survival rates, and altered sperm motility in adult fish. Offspring from BPF-exposed groups showed developmental issues, including increased mortality, delayed developmental stages, abnormal tail coiling and heart rate, which correlated with paternal sperm count and quality changes, alterations in T and VTG levels, and cell cycle phase distributions.
Our study demonstrated that BPF exposure significantly impacted sperm quality, characterized by reduced sperm count and altered motility patterns, leading to developmental anomalies in offspring. These novel findings highlight the need for further research into BPF's reproductive and developmental toxicity, emphasizing the potential risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health. The observed effects on sperm quality, hormonal balance, and offspring development provide new insights into the reproductive toxicity profile of BPF.
双酚F（BPF）作为双酚A（BPA）的替代品，广泛应用于消费品中，增加了环境暴露的可能性。我们的研究调查了BPF对成年雄性斑马鱼的生殖影响，探索了其毒理学机制以及代际效应。
将成年雄性斑马鱼暴露于浓度为0、50、500、2500和5000 nM的BPF中21天。我们评估了精子细胞的数量和质量、激素标志物睾酮（T）和卵黄蛋白原（VTG）、与激素合成、代谢、细胞凋亡、细胞周期、性行为相关的基因表达谱，以及包括生存、发育和运动在内的后代健康指标。
暴露于BPF对体重或性腺指数没有显著影响。然而，在500和2500 nM时，观察到精子数量显著减少。BPF暴露导致血清T降低和肝脏VTG水平升高，表明激素紊乱。在50 nM时，BPF引发精子凋亡，在更高剂量下，它破坏精子减数分裂，影响细胞分布。这种暴露对精子质量产生负面影响，降低了后代存活率，并改变了成年鱼的精子活力。BPF暴露组的后代出现发育问题，包括死亡率增加、发育阶段延迟、尾巴卷曲异常和心率异常，这与父本精子数量和质量变化、T和VTG水平改变以及细胞周期阶段分布相关。
我们的研究表明，BPF暴露显著影响精子质量，其特征是精子数量减少和运动模式改变，导致后代发育异常。这些新发现凸显了对BPF生殖和发育毒性进行进一步研究的必要性，强调了对水生生态系统和人类健康的潜在风险。观察到的对精子质量、激素平衡和后代发育的影响为BPF的生殖毒性特征提供了新的见解。
