Everyday chemicals and the uterus: A multiscale multimodal investigation into propylparaben-induced fibrosis
Using SHG, AFM, and nanoindentation, we uncover how propylparaben remodels uterine collagen structure and mechanics across scales.
Abstract: Parabens are everywhere — in cosmetics, foods, and pharmaceuticals — and are increasingly recognized as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with potential consequences for reproductive health. Among them, propylparaben (PP) has been linked to adverse outcomes, yet its effects on uterine tissue remain largely unknown. In this talk, I will share how we combined optical, mechanical, and nanoscale methods to investigate how chronic PP exposure results in uterine fibrosis. Using second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy, we detected heterogeneous increases in the forward-to-backward (F/B) signal ratio and disruption of myometrial collagen organization. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) illustrated nanoscale fibril changes and nanoindentation (NI) linked the collagen remodeling to heterogeneous changes in tissue stiffness. Supported by CZ Biohub Chicago, we are extending this work using novel MRI approaches and inflation testing to investigate PP-induced fibrosis at the tissue scale. Together, these studies show how everyday chemicals alter uterine tissue structure and function, and impact reproductive health.
Biography: Amy Wagoner Johnson is a professor of Mechanical Science & Engineering at the Grainger College of Engineering. She is an Andersen Faculty Scholar and a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago Investigator, and an elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and of the American Society for Mechanical Engineering. She was a Chair of Excellence at the NanoSciences Foundation in Grenoble, France. She has appointments in the Beckman Institute and the IGB, in Bioengineering, and in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.