Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) is a PPARγ agonist in an ECV304 cell line

Peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPAR)s are nuclear transcription factors of the steroid receptor super-family. One member, PPAR gamma, a critical transcription factor in adipogenesis, is expressed in ECV304 cells, and when activated participates in the induction of cell death by apoptosis. Here we describe a clone of ECV304 cells, ECV-ACO.Luc, which stably expresses a reporter gene for PPAR activation. ECV-ACO.Luc respond to the PPAR gamma agonists, 15-deoxy-Delta (12,14) PGJ(2), and ciglitizone, by inducing luciferase expression. Furthermore, using ECV-ACO.Luc, we demonstrate that a newly described PPAR gamma antagonist, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) has agonist activities. Similar to 15-deoxy-Delta (12,14) PGJ(2), BADGE induces PPAR gamma activation, nuclear localization of the receptor, and induces cell death.