Transfer of bisphenol A across the human placenta

Transfer of bisphenol A across the human placenta
http://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378%2810%2900055-4/abstract

Balakrishnan B, Henare K, Thorstensen EB, et al. Transfer of bisphenol A across the human placenta. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010;202:393.e1-7.

Presented at the 55th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, San Diego, CA, March 26-29, 2008, and at the 56th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, March 18-21, 2009.

Objective
The objective of the investigation was to study placental transfer and conjugation of bisphenol A (BPA) across the human placenta.

Study Design
Human placentae obtained from healthy term singleton pregnancies were utilized in a dual recirculating model of ex vivo placental perfusion. Seven placentae were perfused with BPA (10 ng/mL) added to the maternal perfusate for 180 minutes. Antipyrine and fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran were used as positive and negative controls, respectively, to validate integrity of the circuits. Concentrations of BPA and its conjugates were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results
The transfer percentage for antipyrine and BPA were 25.5 ± 1.13% and 27.0 ± 1.88%, respectively, and the transfer index for BPA was 1.1 ± 0.09 after 180 minutes of perfusion. Only 3.2 ± 1.6% of BPA in the fetal compartment was in the conjugated form.

Conclusion
Bisphenol A at low environmentally relevant levels can transfer across the human placenta, mainly in active unconjugated form.