Early-life BPA exposure reprograms gene expression linked to fatty liver disease
NAFLD is a buildup of extra fat in liver cells that is not caused by alcohol and that can lead to cirrhosis, or scarring, of the liver. This common disease occurs more often in people with obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol or high triglycerides (blood fats). BPA is an industrial chemical found in polycarbonate plastics, such as many food and beverage containers, and in epoxy resins that line food cans. Past studies show that BPA and many other chemicals in our environment are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can interfere with the body's hormones and eventually lead to obesity and other diseases. "We believe this disease risk occurs via developmental reprogramming of the epigenome , which can persist throughout a lifetime," said the study's lead investigator, Lindsey Treviño, Ph.D., an instructor and researcher at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. "These persistent changes lead to alterations in gene expression in ways that correlate with in...