Gender differences in the levels of bisphenol A metabolites in urine

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Dec 12;312(2):441-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2003.10.135.

Abstract

The metabolism of bisphenol A (BPA), a suspected endocrine disruptor, should be considered for monitoring human exposure to BPA, because the conjugation with beta-D-glucuronide and sulfate reduces the estrogenic activity. In this study, BPA levels in 30 healthy Koreans (men, N=15, 42.6+/-2.4 years; women, N=15, 43.0+/-2.7 years) were analyzed from urine treated with/without beta-glucuronidase and/or sulfatase by an RP-HPLC with fluorescence detection. The total BPA concentrations including free BPA and the urinary conjugates were similar in men and women (2.82+/-0.73 and 2.76+/-0.54 ng ml(-1), respectively), but gender differences were found in the levels of urinary BPA conjugates. Men had significantly higher levels of BPA-glucuronide (2.34+/-0.85 ng ml(-1)) than women (1.00+/-0.34 ng ml(-1)), whereas women had higher levels of BPA-sulfate (1.20+/-0.32 ng ml(-1)) than men (0.49+/-0.27 ng ml(-1)).

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Benzhydryl Compounds
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
  • Environmental Pollutants / urine*
  • Female
  • Glucuronidase / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Phenols / chemistry*
  • Phenols / metabolism
  • Phenols / urine*
  • Protein Binding
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence / methods
  • Sulfatases / chemistry*
  • Urinalysis / methods*

Substances

  • Benzhydryl Compounds
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Phenols
  • Sulfatases
  • Glucuronidase
  • bisphenol A