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Volume 13
Issue 12
10.3390/toxics13121014
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Article

Study on Hepatotoxicity of Benzophenone-3 at Environmental Concentration in Postpartum Mice

by
Huai-Fan Zhai
1,†,
Ya-Nan Tian
2,†,
Yu-Xin Sheng
1,
Ya-Jia Pu
1,
Yan-Rong Gao
1,
Jia-Yi Chen
1,
Jia-Di Liu
2,
Jia Ma
1,
Hai-Ming Xu
1,
Peng-Bin Yang
3,* and
Hong-Mei Li
1,*
1
The Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of the Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
2
School of Clinical Medical, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
3
School of Biological Science & Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Toxics 2025, 13(12), 1014; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121014 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 16 October 2025 / Revised: 15 November 2025 / Accepted: 19 November 2025 / Published: 22 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Risk Assessment of Emerging Pollutants—an Integration of Exposure Estimation and Mechanism-Based Toxicity Study)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Benzophenone-3 (BP-3), a widely used ultraviolet absorber in various scenarios, exhibits estrogenic toxicity at environmental concentrations—as demonstrated in our prior work. Given the importance of hepatic metabolism and the limitations of previous hepatotoxicity research (high-dose models, lack of mammalian data, etc.), we evaluated BP-3’s hepatic effects on postpartum mice at environmentally relevant levels. Postpartum mice were exposed to BP-3 via drinking water from postpartum day 1 (PPD1) to PPD35. Groups solvent control (0.001% DMSO), 10–1000 nM BP-3, and diethylstilbestrol (DES) were established. Basic growth performance, histopathological changes, and a range of molecular indicators were assessed. The results showed that BP-3 exposure induced dose-dependent increases in liver weight, histopathological alterations (sinusoidal dilation, hepatocyte edema, and necrosis), and significant upregulation of oxidative stress markers (Ros, Mda), chemokines (Ccl27a/b), and inflammatory factors (Tnf-α, Il-6, Nf-κb) at the mRNA level (all p < 0.05). Conversely, levels of antioxidant enzymes (Cat, Sod1/2) and anti-inflammatory factor Ho-1 were markedly decreased (p < 0.05). A clear dose-effect relationship was confirmed using the Integrated Biomarker Response (IBR) framework. This pioneering study establishes the hepatotoxicity of environmentally relevant BP-3 levels in mammals and offers methodological insights for endocrine disruptor assessment.
Keywords: benzophenone-3; environmentally relevant concentrations; hepatotoxicity; postpartum mice; integrated biomarker response (IBR) benzophenone-3; environmentally relevant concentrations; hepatotoxicity; postpartum mice; integrated biomarker response (IBR)

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhai, H.-F.; Tian, Y.-N.; Sheng, Y.-X.; Pu, Y.-J.; Gao, Y.-R.; Chen, J.-Y.; Liu, J.-D.; Ma, J.; Xu, H.-M.; Yang, P.-B.; et al. Study on Hepatotoxicity of Benzophenone-3 at Environmental Concentration in Postpartum Mice. Toxics 2025, 13, 1014. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121014

AMA Style

Zhai H-F, Tian Y-N, Sheng Y-X, Pu Y-J, Gao Y-R, Chen J-Y, Liu J-D, Ma J, Xu H-M, Yang P-B, et al. Study on Hepatotoxicity of Benzophenone-3 at Environmental Concentration in Postpartum Mice. Toxics. 2025; 13(12):1014. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121014

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhai, Huai-Fan, Ya-Nan Tian, Yu-Xin Sheng, Ya-Jia Pu, Yan-Rong Gao, Jia-Yi Chen, Jia-Di Liu, Jia Ma, Hai-Ming Xu, Peng-Bin Yang, and et al. 2025. "Study on Hepatotoxicity of Benzophenone-3 at Environmental Concentration in Postpartum Mice" Toxics 13, no. 12: 1014. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121014

APA Style

Zhai, H.-F., Tian, Y.-N., Sheng, Y.-X., Pu, Y.-J., Gao, Y.-R., Chen, J.-Y., Liu, J.-D., Ma, J., Xu, H.-M., Yang, P.-B., & Li, H.-M. (2025). Study on Hepatotoxicity of Benzophenone-3 at Environmental Concentration in Postpartum Mice. Toxics, 13(12), 1014. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121014

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