Abstract
Bisphenol S (BPS), an alternative to bisphenol A (BPA), exerts proliferative effects similar to those of BPA. BPS is a representative endocrine disruptor associated with cancer progression. However, the mechanisms underlying BPS-induced glioblastoma progression are not fully understood. To investigate the effects of BPS on glioblastoma, U-87 MG cancer cell lines were exposed to BPS. The study focused on analyzing the proliferation and migration of U-87 MG cells. Furthermore, the involvement of the enhancer of the zeste homolog 2 (EZH2)-mediated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway was examined. Pharmacological approaches were employed to inhibit EZH2 activity and observe its effects on BPS-induced changes. The results indicated that BPS promoted the proliferation and migration of U-87 MG cells at a concentration of 0.1 µM. These changes appeared to be linked to the activation of the EZH2-mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Moreover, inhibiting EZH2 activity using pharmacological approaches restored the BPS-mediated induction of proliferation and migration. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that BPS induces glioblastoma progression through EZH2 upregulation. Therefore, targeting the EZH2-mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway could be considered a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of glioblastoma.