# Endocrine Disruptors and Heart Health

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI · 2021 · $51,707

## Abstract

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This application seeks administrative supplement, under the Research Supplements to Promote
Diversity in Health-Related Research category (PA 20-222), to provide support for Latia Tucker,
an African American graduate student in my laboratory. Her graduate research project focuses
on the impact of environmental disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on the cardiovascular-circulatory
system, including the heart and blood coagulation. Bisphenol A (BPA) and its related analogues
are common EDCs with a range of potential adverse health effects. Growing epidemiologic and
experimental studies have demonstrated a potential link between higher BPA exposure and
cardiovascular diseases. In previous studies, my laboratory reported some of the first evidence
on the arrhythmogenic actions of BPA in rodent hearts. We further showed that the pro-arrhythmic
effects of BPA was shared by its analogue chemical bisphenol S (BPS). Our findings demonstrate
the potential cardiovascular toxicity of BPA, and highlight the need to further define the impact of
BPA and related EDCs on human heart health. While the cardiac toxicities of bisphenol chemicals
have received increasing attention, an area that is currently completely unknown is the potential
impact of these chemicals on hemostasis. Increased blood coagulation leads to thrombosis, which
can result in life threatening conditions including myocardial infarction (heart attack), ischemic
stroke, and pulmonary embolism. Importantly, it has been well established that gonadal hormones
impact blood coagulation; in particular, estrogen has been shown to increase coagulation.
However, the potential influence of environmental chemicals, including EDCs, on these processes
is entirely unknown.
The overall goal of Latia's thesis research is to determine the impact of both BPA and a mixture
of BPA analogue chemicals on the circulatory system. Her study will focus on 1) the impact of
these chemicals on cardiac electrical properties and markers of electrical abnormality in the hearts
of larger animals; and 2) the effects of exposure to BPA and a mixture of BPA-related bisphenols
on blood coagulation and thrombotic risks. These studies are innovative and has high significance,
and will provide important understanding of the potential cardiovascular-circulatory toxicity of
bisphenol type EDCs. They will also provide comprehensive training for Latia on environmental
health and toxicology, cardiac physiology and electrophysiology, and hemostasis regulation, thus
equipping her well for pursuing future independent research career.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10251514
- **Project number:** 3R01ES027855-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
- **Principal Investigator:** Jack Rubinstein
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $51,707
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-02-01 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10251514

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10251514, Endocrine Disruptors and Heart Health (3R01ES027855-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10251514. Licensed CC0.

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