The Effects of Bisphenol a on the Distribution and Heterogeneity of Mast Cells in Rat Digestive Tract

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical component used in plastic products around the world. This study aims to examine the effects of these chemical compounds to which humans are frequently exposed in everyday life, on the heterogeneity and distribution of mast cells in the gastrointestinal system. For the study, 24 male Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 groups (control, sham, 25 mg/kg, and 50 mg/kg BPA treated). BPA was dissolved in corn oil and administration was done by oral gavage for thirty days. Gastrointestinal tissue samples taken from animals anesthetized with inhalation anesthesia were fixed using BLA (Basic Lead Acetate) and Carnoy fixation. Then, following routine tissue follow-up, they were blocked with Paraplast. Sections (6 µm) taken from the blocks were stained using Toluidine blue (TB) and Alcian blue-safranine O 8GX (AB-SO) combined dyes. Counting and statistical analysis of the mast cells in the TB-stained sections were performed. According to the results of the analysis, a higher number of mast cells was observed in the BLA fixation solution, while the increase in the number of mast cells was statistically significant in the groups treated with BPA (p<0.05). In the combined AB-SO 8GX staining results, AB (+), S (+), and Mix (+) mastocytes were found in almost all sections of the digestive tract. As a result of this staining process, again, no difference was found in the semi-quantitative evaluations performed including the groups treated with BPA. Although BPA does not affect the heterogeneity of mast cells, it does affect their distribution. Therefore, it is assumed that further studies will need to be carried out.