KIU Publications

Bisphenol A (BPA), which is a common ingredient of plastics and epoxy resins, is among the most commonly found endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the human envir onment. Chr onic human e xposur e has raised concerns over its effects on reproductive health. There is gr o wing e vidence sho wing that BPA causes epigenetic changes, primarily DNA methylation, histone changes, and non-coding RNA changes that result in hormonal imbalances, a disruption in gametogenesis, and fertility impairment. This r e vie w summarizes cur- rent understanding of how BPA alters male reproductive performance in exposed individuals, including impaired spermatogenesis and sperm quality, endocrine imbalance, and disruption of hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) signaling, often in concert with oxidative str ess and alter ed ster oidogenesis. W e then discuss e vidence that BPA e xposur e, especially during critical de velopmental windo ws, can r epr ogr am the paternal germline, such that epigenetic alterations carried by sperm, such as DNA methylation changes, abnormal his- tone acetylation (H3K9ac, H3K27ac, H4K12ac), disrupted histone-to-protamine transition, and altered sperm small RNAs/miRNA profiles, can contribute to fertility defects in subsequent gener ations. Mor eo ver, various ther apeutic methods, like epigenetic drugs and natur al products such as resveratrol, naringenin, and genistein, are being studied to reverse or alleviate the impact of BPA. Given BPA’s ubiq- uity, these findings also highlight the necessity of stricter regulation, health education to the general population, along with research into potential safer alternatives. Learning the ways BPA is remodeling the epigenome and fertility through generations is essential to pr otecting r epr oductive health and the basis of policy intervention.