Pathways involved in the human vascular Tetrabromobisphenol A response: Calcium and potassium channels and nitric oxide donors

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a flame retardant that can contaminate the environment and human being, acting as an endocrine disruptor. Several studies propose a correlation between TBBPA exposure and adverse health outcomes, however, at vascular level TBBPA effects are still poorly understood. Thus, considering that the vascular tonus is regulated by vasoactive substances (serotonin and histamine) which are involved in some pathological processes, this work aimed to analyse the direct effects and the 24 h exposure of TBBPA on the human umbilical artery (HUA) and to investigate its signalling pathway. Using organ bath technique, endothelium-denuded HUA rings were contracted with serotonin (5-HT, 1 mu M), histamine (His, 10 mu M) and potassium chloride (KCl, 60 mM), and the exposure (0-24 h) of different concentrations of TBBPA (1, 10 and 50 mu M) were evaluated. Besides, the vascular mode of action of TBBPA was studied through the analysis of cyclic guanosine monophosphate and calcium channels activity, pathways involved in relaxation and contraction of HUA, respectively. Our results demonstrated that the direct effects of TBBPA induce a vasorelaxation of HUA. The maximum relaxant effect was observed at 100 mu M of TBBPA with 63.74%, 64.24% and 30.05%, for 5-HT-, His- or KCl-contracted arteries respectively. The 24 h TBBPA exposure altered the vasorelaxant response pattern of sodium nitmprusside and nifedipine. This effect is due to the involvement of TBBPA with the NO/sGC/cGMP/PKG pathway and the interference in calcium influx. Furthermore, using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, TBBPA clearly modulates L-type calcium and large-conductance Ca2+ 1.1 alpha- and beta(1)-subunit channels, and soluble guanylyl cyclase and protein Kinase G. So, at vascular level TBBPA induces changes in HUA after TBBPA exposure.

Automated summary

TBBPA, an endocrine disruptor and flame retardant, can contaminate the environment and human body. This study investigated the direct effects and 24-hour exposure of TBBPA on the human umbilical artery (HUA) and explored its signaling pathway. The results showed that TBBPA induced vasorelaxation of HUA and modulated various signaling pathways involved in relaxation and contraction.