Physiologically detectable bisphenol A impairs human sperm functions by reducing protein-tyrosine phosphorylation

Bisphenol A (BPA), a widely used plastic monomer and plasticizer, is detectable in blood, urine and semen of a healthy people, with concentrations ranging from 0.1 nM to 10 nM. It has been shown that in vitro exposure of BPA as low as 0.001 nM could significantly inhibited mouse sperm motility and acrosome reaction. However, it is still unclear whether BPA at those physiologically detectable concentration affects human sperm. The effects of different concentrations of BPA (0, 10 −3 , 10 −2 , 10 −1 , 10, 10 3 nM) on sperm functions were examined, including human sperm viability, kinematic parameters, hyperactivation and capacitation. BPA caused a remarkable decline in human sperm viability, motility and progressive motility, hyperactivation, capacitation and progesterone-induced acrosome reaction. Mechanism studies showed that BPA could suppress the protein tyrosine phosphorylation level of human sperm, but had no effect on sperm calcium signaling. Physiologically detectable concentrations of BPA may impair human sperm functions via suppressing protein tyrosine phosphorylation of human sperm, implying that environmental pollution of BPA might be a factor contributing to male infertility. • The direct effects of physiologically detectable concentrations of bisphenol A on human sperm were firstly examined. • Bisphenol A caused a significant decline in human sperm viability, motility and progressive motility. • Bisphenol A remarkably suppressed hyperactivation, capacitation and P4-induced acrosome reaction on human sperm. • Bisphenol A impaired human sperm functions by reducing protein tyrosine phosphorylation rather than affecting [Ca 2+ ] i .