Coenzyme Q10 and Infertility
The article published in the journal Genetics is the first to present this strategy to reverse the effects of BPA (Bisphenol-A) in the body. In the study, researchers tested the antioxidant action of coenzyme Q10 in worms exposed to the contaminant.
As it is an excellent antioxidant, coenzyme Q10 is a natural electron donor, reducing oxidative stress and damage caused by BPA. Oxidative stress generates significant cellular damage and can cause cell death. This, to a greater magnitude, generates important problems for the organism.
The research evaluated factors such as the number of eggs laid and the hatching rate, something comparable in humans to the difficulty of getting pregnant and the occurrence of spontaneous abortions or chromosomal abnormalities, respectively.
Bisphenol A is a chemical contaminant that acts as an endocrine disruptor, causing oxidative stress [imbalance between oxidizing and antioxidant molecules] and consequent cellular damage in gametes and the embryo. In the study, worms exposed to BPA and supplemented with coenzyme Q10 had lower rates of egg death, fewer DNA breaks, fewer chromosome abnormalities during cell division processes, and lower oxidative stress in the eggs.
The exposure time to BPA in adult worms mimics what occurs in humans. As we know, it is practically impossible these days not to be exposed to contaminants, so researchers sought a strategy to recover the damage caused. It is already known that age negatively influences fertility in women, and several studies have shown this. Because exposure to BPA [and other endocrine disruptors] occurs throughout life, it is not yet possible to estimate separately how much of the observed infertility comes from exposure to toxic environmental chemicals and how much is due to age.
Through the use of transgenic worms – with a fluorescent protein sequence inserted into the DNA that allows the observation of protein expression in vivo studies—it was possible to monitor in real-time the effects produced at the cellular and molecular level during the cell division process. and formation of embryos in worms.
Hormone mimicker
Because BPA has a similar chemical structure to estrogen—a hormone normally related to ovulation control in women—it can bind to estrogen receptors, inducing different effects. Depending on the tissue, a pro-estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effect may occur, which may impact not only the reproductive system but also other systems and processes important to the individual’s health.
DNA Breakdown and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Exposure of worms to BPA resulted in more DNA breaks due to the action of reactive oxygen species formed by the presence of the contaminant in the organism.
Crossing over is an important material exchange for increasing genetic diversity and evolution. One of the hypotheses is that the increase in breaks in the genetic material [and the inefficiency of repair] was caused by the increase in oxidative stress in the gonad caused by BPA. More significant mitochondrial dysfunction was also observed in the process. That is, the organelles responsible for producing energy for the cells begin to function deregulated. Because of oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly altered in worms exposed only to BPA. These markers were recovered in the group that received supplementation with coenzyme Q10.
Effect on embryos
The research also evaluated the embryos. In the study, embryo formation was observed in vivo using a technique called live imaging. We use the first cell division as a standard [the exact moment when the embryo goes from one cell to two] to evaluate the occurrence of defects. In the group exposed only to BPA, defects occurred in a greater proportion, such as the formation of bridges of genetic material and the arrest of cell division.
The article Antioxidant CoQ10 Restores Fertility by Rescuing Bisphenol A-induced Oxidative DNA Damage in the Caenorhabditis elegans Germline can be read at https://www.genetics.org/content/214/2/381.
