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Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and hypertension (HTN) are closely linked and influencedby early-life exposures. Prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like bisphenol A (BPA) can alter heart structure and blood pressure regulation in offspring, potentially increasing CVD risk. HTN incidence is influenced by sex, age, and environmental factors. We examined prenatal exposure of Sprague Dawley rats to low doses of BPA, bisphenol S (BPS), and F (BPF) at levels considered safe for humans. We hypothesized that there will be sex- and chemical-specific alterations to the neurocardiovascular system and female exposure to estradiol (E2) and male exposure to a high-fat diet would exacerbate these effects. Our findings confirm the sex and chemical-specific alterations to the neurocardiovascular system. Both males and females prenatally exposed to EDCs had increased blood pressure accompanied by sympathoactivation of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus. In both sexes, BPS increased Angiotensin II and Endothelin -1 while inducing cardiac muscle fibrosis. BPF increased Aldosterone in both offspring while BPA increased fibrosis and heart weight. There was sex difference with Corticosterone levels increased in all EDC-treated males but not females and Endothelin-1 increased in males' BPA and BPF offspring but not females. BPF increased left ventricle wall thickness, and heart weight while increasing angiotensin II and inducing fibrosis in male hearts. While in females, all EDCs increased kidney and adrenal weight, and exposure to BPF, and BPS, increased E2 levels. Males show greater sensitivity to BPF exposure, while BPS can cause significant alterations in both sexes. When challenged with a second insult with exposure to a highfat diet in males, all EDC-treated males had increased blood pressure, BPF offspring had increased sympathoactivation of the PVN and Aldosterone secretion while BPS offspring had increased Angiotensin II, Aldosterone, and Corticosterone levels. As for females challenged with chronic E2, BPS offspring had increased blood pressure, paraventricular sympathoactivation, increased Angiotensin II, and E2 levels accompanied by fibrosis in the heart. These findings raise concerns regarding the low dose EDC exposure on cardiovascular health and show that BPS and BPF are not “safe alternatives” to BPA and can cause more detrimental effects.

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