A unique pattern of bisphenol A effects on nerve growth factor gene expression in embryonic mouse hypothalamic cell line N-44

We investigated the toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA) by determining the gene expression of nerve growth factor (Ngf) in the embryonic mouse cell line mHypoE-N44 derived from the hypothalamus exposed to BPA dose range between 0.02 and 200 mu mol L-1 for 3 h. Ngf mRNA levels decreased in a dose-dependent manner, with significant reductions observed in the 2 to 50 mu molL(-1) BPA treatment groups compared to controls. However, at 100 to 200 mu mol L-1 the Ngf mRNA gradually increased and was significantly higher than control, while the expression of the apoptosis-related genes Caspase 3 and transformation-related protein 73 decreased significantly. These results suggest that in an embryonic hypothalamic cell line the higher doses of BPA induce a unique pattern of Ngf gene expression and that BPA has the potential to suppress apoptosis essential for early-stage brain development.