Furthermore, DNA damage and disruption of cell cycle control by BPA associates with hypermethylation of various genes encoding factors that protect against breast cancer including TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 3 (TIMP3), which inhibits MMP involved in invasion and metastasis; checkpoint with forkhead and ring finger (CHFR), a tumor suppressor that delays passage into mitosis; ESR1 encoding for ERα, whose expression is necessary to activate BRCA1; and immunoglobulin superfamily member 4 (IGSF4), which participates in cell adhesion. Here, TIMP3 is linked to breast cancer.