Effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) and its alternative substitutes BPS and BPF on biochemical, functional, and redox parameters in the salivary glands of young adult Wistar rats

• Grant number: 25/11841-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Pediatric Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Hernandes Chaves Neto
• Grantee: Yasmin Andrade dos Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FOA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araçatuba. Araçatuba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) and its substitutes, BPS and BPF, are widely used plasticizers and ubiquitous environmental pollutants. Although high doses of BPA cause damage to the salivary glands of rats, its effects on salivary flow rate and composition, as well as the effects of the substitutes BPS and BPF, are still unknown. Therefore, the aim of the study will be to evaluate the effects of BPA and its substitutes BPS and BPF on biochemical, functional, and redox parameters in the salivary glands of rats. Forty-eight young adult Wistar rats (6 weeks old) will be randomized into four groups (n=12/group): Control, BPA, BPF, and BPS. The treated groups will receive 5 mg/kg of the plasticizer (Sigma-Aldrich®) daily via intragastric gavage for 6 weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, pilocarpine-induced saliva collection will be performed to determine salivary flow, pH, buffering capacity, total protein, amylase, calcium, and phosphate. After euthanasia, the parotid and submandibular glands will be removed and weighed. Accordingly, the left salivary glands will be used for biochemical analyses of oxidative damage markers, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense and will be stored at -80°C, while the right glands will be histologically processed for morphometric analysis of the areas of acini, ducts, and stroma. The normality and homoscedasticity of the data will be analyzed and the data will be submitted to the most appropriate parametric or non-parametric test. The significance level will be set at 5% (p < 0.05).