Histopathological study of the Achilles tendon after exposure to bisphenol-A and its subsequent treatment with platelet growth factors

Abstract

Bisphenol-a is a well-known compound with estrogenic activity, which is produced in tons world-wide and is abundantly used as a component of food containers, so that it frequently migrates into food and appears as an environmental pollutant. this study aimed to assess the effects of Bisphenol-a at the tendon level, possible reversal after it is withdrawn from exposure, and its recovery after the application of plate-enriched plasma. For this purpose, 16 animals were randomly distributed to one of the experiment groups: control group, group treated with BPa (for 4 months), group BPa-withdrawal (treated for 2 months with BPa and two months without BPa), and platelet-rich plasma (PrP) group (treated for 2 months with BPa, when it was withdrawn and the PrP treatment began for 2 months). at the end of the treatments biopsy of the achilles tendon was carried out. the samples were analysed by optical and electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. histopathology was a fundamental tool in the evaluation of the tendon after exposure to Bisphenol-a. Our results showed how, after withdrawal of BPa, there was recovery from the lesions caused, with diminution in the type III collagen fibres along with tendon vascularization processes; in the group to which PRP was applied, almost complete recovery from the lesions caused occurred, and the immunocytochemistry test was negative for the type III collagen fibres. Our results indicate that tendons were affected after BPA exposure, but that the lesions were partially reversible after BPa was withdrawn. PrP application enabled tendon lesions to recuperate and all signs of inflammation disappeared.