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Solan ME, Park JA. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) effects on lung health: a perspective on the current literature and future recommendations. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2024; 6:1423449. [PMID: 39092081 PMCID: PMC11291370 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2024.1423449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a broad class of synthetic compounds widely used in commercial applications. The persistent nature of PFAS in the environment has earned them the epithet "forever chemicals." Concerns arise from widespread exposure to PFAS from occupational, household, and environmental sources. This widespread use of PFAS is particularly concerning, as emerging epidemiological evidence highlights their adverse effects on lung health. Such adverse impacts include impaired fetal lung development, reduced immune function in children, and potential links to lung cancer. Both in vivo and in vitro studies illuminate potential mechanisms underlying such adverse health outcomes subsequent to PFAS inhalation exposure, which may include immunomodulation, oxidative stress, and disruptions to epithelial barriers. However, evidence-based information focusing on the mechanisms of PFAS-mediated lung injury is lacking. Additionally, the discrepancies between data collected from animal and epidemiological studies highlight the need for improved approaches to better understand the toxicity results of PFAS exposure. To address these gaps, we recommend leveraging route-to-route extrapolation for risk assessment, prioritizing research on understudied PFAS, and adopting physiologically relevant, high-throughput approaches. These strategies are aimed at enhancing our understanding of PFAS inhalation effects, aiding in more informed risk management decisions. In this review, we summarize the current literature on PFAS exposure, emphasizing its adverse effects on lung health, particularly through inhalation. We then discuss the current knowledge on mechanisms underlying tissue- and cellular-level adverse outcomes caused by PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jin-Ah Park
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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2
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Phelps D, Parkinson LV, Boucher JM, Muncke J, Geueke B. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Food Packaging: Migration, Toxicity, and Management Strategies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:5670-5684. [PMID: 38501683 PMCID: PMC10993423 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
PFASs are linked to serious health and environmental concerns. Among their widespread applications, PFASs are known to be used in food packaging and directly contribute to human exposure. However, information about PFASs in food packaging is scattered. Therefore, we systematically map the evidence on PFASs detected in migrates and extracts of food contact materials and provide an overview of available hazard and biomonitoring data. Based on the FCCmigex database, 68 PFASs have been identified in various food contact materials, including paper, plastic, and coated metal, by targeted and untargeted analyses. 87% of these PFASs belong to the perfluorocarboxylic acids and fluorotelomer-based compounds. Trends in chain length demonstrate that long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids continue to be found, despite years of global efforts to reduce the use of these substances. We utilized ToxPi to illustrate that hazard data are available for only 57% of the PFASs that have been detected in food packaging. For those PFASs for which toxicity testing has been performed, many adverse outcomes have been reported. The data and knowledge gaps presented here support international proposals to restrict PFASs as a group, including their use in food contact materials, to protect human and environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drake
W. Phelps
- Independent
Consultant, Raleigh, North Carolina 27617, United States
| | | | | | - Jane Muncke
- Food
Packaging Forum Foundation, 8045 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Birgit Geueke
- Food
Packaging Forum Foundation, 8045 Zürich, Switzerland
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3
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Li F, Gong X, Zhou Y, Geng Q, Jiang Y, Yao L, Qu M, Tan Z. Integrated evidence of transcriptional, metabolic, and intestinal microbiota changes in Ruditapes philippinarum due to perfluorooctanoic acid-induced immunotoxicity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170341. [PMID: 38272093 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a toxic pollutant that bioaccumulates and is a significant public health concern due to its ubiquitous and persistent occurrence in global environments. Few studies have evaluated the adverse effects of PFOA on immune system, and this is particularly true for mollusks. Here, the PFOA-associated effects on immune system were evaluated in Ruditapes philippinarum using integrated analysis of metabolomes, microbiomes, and transcriptomes, providing evidence for possible mechanisms related to immunotoxicity. PFOA exposure caused clear variation in several important metabolites related to immune regulatory function within the haemolyph from R. philippinarum, while also altering key metabolic pathways, including those of lipids, unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), and bile acids (BAs). After exposure to PFOAs, intestinal bacterial communities also clearly changed, with the predominant microflora becoming Mycoplasma and Bacteroidetes that are related to intestinal inflammation. Molecular analyses provided consistent results, wherein the expression of immune-related genes was significantly altered. Integration of the multi-'omics' analyses suggested that the TLR/MyD88/NF-kB pathway, along with PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway, PPAR-mediated lipid metabolism and the autophagy signaling pathway, likely play important roles in initiating immunotoxic effects in R. philippinarum after PFOA exposure. These results provide further evidence that PFOA exposure can lead to immunologic dysfunction and also provide new insights into the mechanisms of PFAS alteration of bivalve immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengling Li
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiuqiong Gong
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China; College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China; College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Qianqian Geng
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanhua Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Yao
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Qu
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijun Tan
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China; Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, People's Republic of China.
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4
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Tan Y, Taibl KR, Dunlop AL, Barr DB, Panuwet P, Yakimavets V, Kannan K, Corwin EJ, Ryan PB, Eatman JA, Liang D, Eick SM. Association between a Mixture of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Inflammatory Biomarkers in the Atlanta African American Maternal-Child Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:13419-13428. [PMID: 37649345 PMCID: PMC10900195 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been identified as environmental contributors to adverse birth outcomes. One potential mechanistic pathway could be through PFAS-related inflammation and cytokine production. Here, we examined associations between a PFAS mixture and inflammatory biomarkers during early and late pregnancy from participants enrolled in the Atlanta African American Maternal-Child Cohort (N = 425). Serum concentrations of multiple PFAS were detected in >90% samples at 8-14 weeks gestation. Serum concentrations of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at up to two time points (8-14 weeks and 24-30 weeks gestation). The effect of the PFAS mixture on each inflammatory biomarker was examined using quantile g-computation, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), Bayesian Weighted Sums (BWS), and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression. Across all models, the PFAS mixture was associated with increased IFN-γ, IL-10, and TNF-α at both time points, with the strongest effects being observed at 24-30 weeks. Using quantile g-computation, increasing concentrations of a PFAS mixture were associated with a 29% (95% confidence interval = 18.0%, 40.7%) increase in TNF-α at 24-30 weeks. Similarly, using BWS, the PFAS mixture was associated with increased TNF-α at 24-30 weeks (summed effect = 0.29, 95% highest posterior density = 0.17, 0.41). The PFAS mixture was also positively associated with TNF-α at 24-30 weeks using BKMR [75th vs 50th percentile: 17.1% (95% credible interval = 7.7%, 27.4%)]. Meanwhile, PFOS was consistently the main drivers of overall mixture effect across four methods. Our findings indicated an increase in prenatal PFAS exposure is associated with an increase in multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines, potentially contributing to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youran Tan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Kaitlin R. Taibl
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Volha Yakimavets
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | | | - P. Barry Ryan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Jasmin A. Eatman
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Stephanie M. Eick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
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Pérez Gómez AA, Wang M, Kochan K, Amstalden K, Young CR, Welsh CJ, Phillips TD, Brinkmeyer-Langford CL. C57BL/6J mice exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid demonstrate altered immune responses and increased seizures after Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus infection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1228509. [PMID: 37600798 PMCID: PMC10434537 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1228509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Neurological diseases can stem from environmental influences such as antecedent viral infections or exposure to potential toxicants, some of which can trigger immune responses leading to neurological symptoms. Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) is used to model human neurological conditions associated with prior viral infections, with outcomes partly attributable to improper induction and regulation of the immune response. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) can alter pathologies known to influence neurological disease such as inflammatory responses, cytokine expression, and glial activation. Co-exposure to TMEV and PFOA was used to test the hypothesis that early life exposure to the potential immunotoxicant PFOA would affect immune responses so as to render TMEV-resistant C57BL/6J (B6) mice susceptible to viral-induced neurological disease. Methods Neonate B6 mice were exposed to different treatments: non-injected, sham-infected with PBS, and TMEV-infected, with the drinking water of each group including either 70 ppt PFOA or filtered water. The effects of PFOA were evaluated by comparing neurological symptoms and changes in immune-related cytokine and chemokine production induced by viral infection. Immune responses of 23 cytokines and chemokines were measured before and after infection to determine the effects of PFOA exposure on immune response. Results Prior to infection, an imbalance between Th1, Th2, and Treg cytokines was observed in PFOA-exposed mice, suppressing IL-4 and IL-13 production. However, the balance was restored and characterized by an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines in the non-infected group, and a decrease in IL-10 in the PFOA + TMEV group. Furthermore, the PFOA + TMEV group experienced an increase in seizure frequency and severity. Discussion Overall, these findings provide insight into the complex roles of immune responses in the pathogenesis of virus-associated neurological diseases influenced by co-exposures to viruses and immunotoxic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aracely A. Pérez Gómez
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Meichen Wang
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Kelli Kochan
- Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Katia Amstalden
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Colin R. Young
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - C. Jane Welsh
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Timothy D. Phillips
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Candice L. Brinkmeyer-Langford
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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Taylor KD, Woodlief TL, Ahmed A, Hu Q, Duncker PC, DeWitt JC. Quantifying the impact of PFOA exposure on B-cell development and antibody production. Toxicol Sci 2023; 194:101-108. [PMID: 37162486 PMCID: PMC10306397 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals; the vast majority are environmentally and biologically persistent, and some have demonstrated toxicity, including cancer, effects on metabolism, endocrine disruption, and immune dysfunction. Suppression of T-cell-dependent antibody responses (TDAR) has been observed in numerous studies of PFAS but mechanisms remain elusive. Evidence from our work suggests that B cells and how they use energy are impacted by PFAS exposure. We hypothesize that a well-studied and immunotoxic PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), alters B-cell subclasses and markers of their metabolism. Adult male and female C57BL/6 mice were given PFOA (0 or 7.5 mg/kg) via gavage for 15 days, a duration and dose sufficient to suppress the TDAR. After dosing and immunization of subgroups, spleens were prepared to quantify B-cell subsets. Flow cytometric analysis revealed decreased numbers of plasmablasts, follicular, naïve, and overall B-cell subclasses in female PFOA-exposed groups. Male PFOA-exposed groups had a significant increase in follicular B cells and other subsets had decreases, including in the overall number of B cells. Twenty-four hours after naïve B-cell isolation and ex vivo activation, metabolic measurements revealed a 5-fold increase in metabolic markers in response to stimulation in PFOA-exposed groups compared with controls. These findings suggest that B-cell development and survival may be hindered by PFOA exposure, but that activation of the remaining B cells was not. Based on these findings, PFOA-mediated suppression of the primary IgM antibody response results changes to specific subsets of B cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystal D Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834-4300, USA
| | - Tracey L Woodlief
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834-4300, USA
| | - Aya Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834-4300, USA
| | - Qing Hu
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834-4300, USA
| | - Patrick C Duncker
- Cytek Biosciences, Mid-Atlantic Region, Fremont, California 94538-6407, USA
| | - Jamie C DeWitt
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834-4300, USA
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Coperchini F, De Marco G, Croce L, Denegri M, Greco A, Magri F, Tonacchera M, Imbriani M, Rotondi M, Chiovato L. PFOA, PFHxA and C6O4 differently modulate the expression of CXCL8 in normal thyroid cells and in thyroid cancer cell lines. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:63522-63534. [PMID: 37052835 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26797-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Industrial chemical PFAS are persistent pollutants. Long chain PFAS were taken out of production due to their risk for human health, however, new congeners PFAS have been introduced. The in vitro effects of the long-chain PFOA, the short-chain PFHxA and the new-generation C6O4 were evaluated in normal and in thyroid cancer cell lines in terms of cell viability and proliferation, and secretion of a pro-tumorigenic chemokine (CXCL8), both at the mRNA and at the protein level. The Nthy-ory 3-1 normal-thyroid cell line, the TPC-1 and the 8505C (RET/PTC rearranged and BRAFV600e mutated, respectively) thyroid-cancer cell lines were exposed to increasing concentrations of each PFAS in a time-course. We evaluated viability using WST-1 (confirmed by AnnexinV/PI) and proliferation using the cristal-violet test. To evaluate CXCL8 mRNA we used RT-PCR and measured CXCL8 in the supernatants by ELISA. The exposure to none PFAS did not affect thyroid cells viability (except for a reduction of 8505C cells viability after 144 h) or proliferation. Individual PFAS differently modulated CXCL8 mRNA and protein level. PFOA increased CXCL8 both at mRNA and protein level in the three cell lines; PFHxA increased CXCL8 mRNA in the three cell lines, but increased the protein only in TPC-1 cells; C6O4 increased the CXCL8 mRNA only in thyroid cancer cell lines, but never increased the CXCL8 protein. The results of the present study indicate that the in vitro exposure to different PFAS may modulate both at the mRNA and secreted protein levels of CXCL8 in normal and cancer thyroid cells. Strikingly different effects emerged according to the specific cell type and to the targeted analyte (CXCL8 mRNA or protein).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Coperchini
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia (PV), 27100, Italy
| | - Giuseppina De Marco
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit, University of Pisa (PI), via Paradisa 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Croce
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia (PV), 27100, Italy
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Pavia (PV), 27100, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo (PA), 90133, Italy
| | - Marco Denegri
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Unit of Molecular Cardiology, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy
| | - Alessia Greco
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Pavia (PV), 27100, Italy
| | - Flavia Magri
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia (PV), 27100, Italy
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Pavia (PV), 27100, Italy
| | - Massimo Tonacchera
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit, University of Pisa (PI), via Paradisa 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marcello Imbriani
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy
| | - Mario Rotondi
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia (PV), 27100, Italy
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Pavia (PV), 27100, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo (PA), 90133, Italy
| | - Luca Chiovato
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Pavia (PV), 27100, Italy.
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Zhang L, Louie A, Rigutto G, Guo H, Zhao Y, Ahn S, Dahlberg S, Sholinbeck M, Smith MT. A systematic evidence map of chronic inflammation and immunosuppression related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 220:115188. [PMID: 36592815 PMCID: PMC10044447 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ability to induce chronic inflammation and immunosuppression are two key characteristics of carcinogens and important forms of immunotoxicity. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) evaluated the immunotoxicity of two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), in 2016. However, the potential pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of other PFASs remain largely uncharacterized. METHODS We developed an expanded set of search terms pertaining to the chronic inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of PFASs based on those of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and NTP. To confirm searching effectiveness and scope, we compared our search term results with those of IARC and NTP for both PFASs and two other known carcinogens, chromium (VI) and benzene. Systematic evidence maps (SEMs) were also produced using Tableau to visualize the distribution of study numbers and types reporting immunotoxic effects and specific biomarkers elicited by PFAS exposures. RESULTS In total, 1155 PFAS studies were retrieved, of which 321 qualified for inclusion in our dataset. Using our search terms, we identified a greater number of relevant studies than those obtained using IARC and NTP's search terms. From the SEM findings, increased cytokine production strengthened an association between PFAS exposure and chronic inflammation, and decreased B-cell activation and altered levels of T-cell subtypes and immunoglobulins confirmed PFAS-induced immunosuppression. CONCLUSION Our SEM findings confirm that several PFASs commonly found in both in the environment, including those that are lesser-known, may induce immunosuppression and chronic inflammation, two key characteristics of carcinogens. This approach, including development of search terms, study screening process, data coding, and evidence mapping visualizations, can be applied to other key characteristics of chemical carcinogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luoping Zhang
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | - Allen Louie
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Molecular Toxicology Interdepartmental Program, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Gabrielle Rigutto
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Helen Guo
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Yun Zhao
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Stacy Ahn
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Sarah Dahlberg
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Michael Sholinbeck
- Bioscience, Natural Resources & Public Health Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Martyn T Smith
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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9
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Ehrlich V, Bil W, Vandebriel R, Granum B, Luijten M, Lindeman B, Grandjean P, Kaiser AM, Hauzenberger I, Hartmann C, Gundacker C, Uhl M. Consideration of pathways for immunotoxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Environ Health 2023; 22:19. [PMID: 36814257 PMCID: PMC9944481 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00958-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of public health concern, because of their ubiquitous and extremely persistent occurrence, and depending on their structure, their bio-accumulative, mobile and toxic properties. Human health effects associated with exposure to PFAS include adverse effects on the immune system. In 2020, EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) defined adverse effects on the immune system as the most critical effect for human health risk assessment, based on reduced antibody responses to childhood vaccines and similar effects observed in experimental animal studies. Likewise, the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) considers PFAS-induced immunotoxicity, especially in children, as the critical effect for risk assessment. However, the mechanisms by which antibody concentrations are impacted are not completely understood. Furthermore, other targets of the immune system functions have been reported in the literature. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to explore PFAS-associated immune-related effects. This includes, relevant mechanisms that may underlie the observed effects on the immune system, immunosuppression as well as immunoenhancement, such as i) modulation of cell signalling and nuclear receptors, such as NF-κB and PPARs; ii) alteration of calcium signalling and homoeostasis in immune cells; iii) modulation of immune cell populations; iv) oxidative stress and v) impact on fatty acid metabolism & secondary effects on the immune system. METHODS A literature research was conducted using three databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus), which were searched in July 2021 for relevant studies published in the time frame from 2018 to 2021. In total, 487 publications were identified as potentially eligible and following expert-based judgement, articles relevant for mechanisms of PFAS induced immunotoxicity are discussed. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, we show that there is substantial evidence from both in vitro and in vivo experimental as well as epidemiological studies, supporting that various PFAS, not only PFOA and PFOS, affect multiple aspects of the immune system. Timing of exposure is critical, because the developing immune system is especially vulnerable to toxic insults, resulting in a higher risk of particularly adverse immune effects but also other organs later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Ehrlich
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wieneke Bil
- Centre for Safety of Substances and Products, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Vandebriel
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Berit Granum
- Division of Climate and Environment Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mirjam Luijten
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Birgitte Lindeman
- Division of Climate and Environment Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Andreas-Marius Kaiser
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ingrid Hauzenberger
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christina Hartmann
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia Gundacker
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Uhl
- Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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10
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Li J, Wang L, Zhang X, Liu P, Deji Z, Xing Y, Zhou Y, Lin X, Huang Z. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure and its influence on the intestinal barrier: An overview on the advances. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158362. [PMID: 36055502 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of artificially synthetic organic compounds that are hardly degraded in the natural environment. PFAS have been widely used for many decades, and the persistence and potential toxicity of PFAS are an emerging concern in the world. PFAS exposed via diet can be readily absorbed by the intestine and enter the circulatory system or accumulate directly at intestinal sites, which could interact with the intestine and cause the destruction of intestinal barrier. This review summarizes current relationships between PFAS exposure and intestinal barrier damage with a focus on more recent toxicological studies. Exposure to PFAS could cause inflammation in the gut, destruction of the gut epithelium and tight junction structure, reduction of the mucus layer, and induction of the toxicity of immune cells. PFAS accumulation could also induce microbial disorders and metabolic products changes. In addition, there are limited studies currently, and most available studies converge on the health risk of PFAS exposure for human intestinal disease. Therefore, more efforts are deserved to further understand potential associations between PFAS exposure and intestinal dysfunction and enable better assessment of exposomic toxicology and health risks for humans in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaoyang Li
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Agriculture, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, PR China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Zhuoma Deji
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Yudong Xing
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Xia Lin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Zhenzhen Huang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China.
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11
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Zhang P, Qi C, Ma Z, Wang Y, Zhang L, Hou X. Perfluorooctanoic acid exposure in vivo perturbs mitochondrial metabolic during oocyte maturation. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2022; 37:2965-2976. [PMID: 36029293 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a member of a group of polyfluorinated and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in mammals. However, the effects of in vivo exposure to PFOA on the female reproductive system and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In our study, we constructed a mouse model to investigate whether low-dose PFOA (1 mg/kg/day) or high-dose PFOA (5 mg/kg/day) affect meiosis maturation of oocytes and the potential mechanisms that may be associated with oocyte maturation disorder. Our results indicate that low-dose and high-dose PFOA can lead to impaired oocyte maturation, which is manifested by decreased rate of embryonic foam rupture and first polar body extrusion. Moreover, PFOA exposure harmed the mitochondrial metabolic, resulting in low levels of ATP contents, high reactive oxygen species, aberrant mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, the proportion of DNA damage marker γ-H2AX was also significantly increased in PFOA exposure oocytes. These changes lead to abnormal arrangements of the spindle and chromosomes during oocyte maturation. In conclusion, our results for the first time illustrated that exposure to PFOA in vivo in female mice impaired the meiosis maturation of oocytes, which provided a basis for studying the mechanism of PFOA reproductive toxicity in female mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingping Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Yangzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital Yangzhou University Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Changyong Qi
- Animal Core Facility, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhinan Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Yangzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital Yangzhou University Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yixiong Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Yangzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital Yangzhou University Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Yangzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital Yangzhou University Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaojing Hou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Institute, Nanjing, China
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12
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Qu J, Zhao Y, Zhang L, Hu S, Liao K, Zhao M, Wu P, Jin H. Evaluated serum perfluoroalkyl acids and their relationships with the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in the general population in Hangzhou, China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 307:119505. [PMID: 35605832 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are widely present in human blood, and have many toxic effects on humans. However, effects of PFAA exposure on the risk of rheumatic immune diseases are limited. In the present study, occurrence of 7 PFAAs, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoate (PFNA), perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoate (PFUnA), perfluorododecanoate (PFDoA), and perfluorotrdecanoate (PFTrA), were measured in serum samples from 156 healthy people (controls) and 156 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cases living in Hangzhou, China. We also investigated the relationships among cumulative PFAA levels in serum, some immune markers, and the incidence of RA. The results showed that PFOA (6.1 and 11.8 ng/mL) had the highest mean serum concentrations, followed by PFOS (3.2 and 3.4 ng/mL) and PFDA (0.86 and 2.6 ng/mL), in both controls and RA cases. Cumulative exposure to PFOA in the study population were positively correlated with the levels of rheumatoid factors (rs = 0.69, p < 0.01) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (rs = 0.56, p < 0.05). Moreover, significant associations of PFOA concentrations with odds ratios (OR) of RA (OR = 1.998, confidence interval (CI): 1.623, 2.361, p = 0.01) were found by adjusting for various covariates. The crude and adjusted OR for RA was respective 1.385 (95% CI: 1.270, 1.510, p = 0.04) and 1.381 (95% CI: 0.972, 1.658, p = 0.06) for a unit increase in serum PFOS levels, but the adjusted results were not significant. Overall, this case-control study found that human serum PFOA concentrations were positively correlated with RF and ACPA levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianli Qu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310032, PR China
| | - Yun Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, PR China
| | - Li Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310032, PR China
| | - Shilei Hu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310032, PR China
| | - Kaizhen Liao
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310032, PR China
| | - Meirong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310032, PR China
| | - Pengfei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Hangbiao Jin
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310032, PR China.
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13
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Barton KE, Zell-Baran LM, DeWitt JC, Brindley S, McDonough CA, Higgins CP, Adgate JL, Starling AP. Cross-sectional associations between serum PFASs and inflammatory biomarkers in a population exposed to AFFF-contaminated drinking water. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2022; 240:113905. [PMID: 35065522 PMCID: PMC9394217 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widespread and persistent environmental contaminants. Exposure to several PFASs has been associated with altered immune function in humans, including autoimmune disease and impaired response to vaccination. However, changes to the profile of inflammatory biomarkers in adults exposed to PFASs has not been extensively described. OBJECTIVE To estimate cross-sectional associations between serum PFASs and markers of inflammation among adults in a population exposed to aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)-contaminated drinking water. METHODS We quantified concentrations of 48 PFASs in non-fasting serum samples from 212 non-smoking adults. In the same serum samples, we measured concentrations of ten pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. We restricted analysis to seven PFASs detected in >85% of participants and the following four cytokines detected in ≥30% of participants: interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α. We fit multiple linear regression or logistic regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, to estimate associations between concentrations of each PFAS and either continuous or categorical (above vs below limit of detection) concentrations of each cytokine. We additionally applied Bayesian kernel machine regression to describe the combined effect of the PFAS mixture on each cytokine outcome. RESULTS Certain PFAS concentrations in this sample were elevated compared to a US nationally representative sample; median levels of PFHxS, ΣPFOS and ΣPFOA in this sample were 13.8, 2.1 and 1.7 times higher, respectively, than medians observed in the U.S. SAMPLE Higher concentrations of multiple PFASs were significantly associated with lower odds of detectable IL-1β. Weaker associations were observed with other cytokines. In general, perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids had inverse associations with TNF-α, whereas the perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids showed positive associations. CONCLUSIONS We observed preliminary evidence of altered inflammatory profiles among adults with elevated serum concentrations of PFASs due to contaminated drinking water. Modifications to inflammatory pathways may be one mechanism by which PFAS exposures produce adverse health effects in humans, but this finding requires verification in longitudinal studies as well as phenotypic anchoring to immune function outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E. Barton
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA,Corresponding author. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, 13001 E 17th Pl, Campus Box B119, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. (K.E. Barton)
| | - Lauren M. Zell-Baran
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA,Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Jamie C. DeWitt
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Stephen Brindley
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Carrie A. McDonough
- Department of Civil Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA,Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, USA
| | - Christopher P. Higgins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, USA
| | - John L. Adgate
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Anne P. Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA,Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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14
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Lopez-Espinosa MJ, Carrizosa C, Luster MI, Margolick JB, Costa O, Leonardi GS, Fletcher T. Perfluoroalkyl substances and immune cell counts in adults from the Mid-Ohio Valley (USA). ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 156:106599. [PMID: 33993002 PMCID: PMC8381762 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may be immunotoxic, evidence for this in humans is scarce. We studied the association between 4 PFASs (perfluorohexane sulfonate [PFHxS], perfluorooctanoic acid [PFOA], perfluorooctane sulfonate [PFOS] and perfluorononanoic acid [PFNA]) and circulating levels of several types of immune cells. METHODS Serum PFASs and white blood cell types were measured in 42,782 (2005-2006) and 526 (2010) adults from an area with PFOA drinking water contamination in the Mid-Ohio Valley (USA). Additionally, the major lymphocyte subsets were measured in 2010. Ln(cell counts) and percentages of cell counts were regressed on serum PFAS concentrations (ln or percentiles). Adjusted results were expressed as the percentage difference (95% CI) per interquartile range (IQR) increment of each PFAS concentration. RESULTS Generally positive monotonic associations between total lymphocytes and PFHxS, PFOA, and PFOS were found in both surveys (difference range: 1.12-7.33% for count and 0.36-1.77 for percentage, per PFAS IQR increment), and were stronger for PFHxS. These associations were reflected in lymphocyte subset counts but not percentages, with PFHxS positively and monotonically associated with T, B, and natural killer (NK) cell counts (range: 5.51-8.62%), PFOA and PFOS with some T-cell phenotypes, and PFOS with NK cells (range: 3.12-12.21%), the associations being monotonic in some cases. Neutrophils, particularly percentage (range: -1.74 to -0.36), showed decreasing trends associated with PFASs. Findings were less consistent for monocytes and eosinophils. CONCLUSION These results suggest an association between PFHxS and, less consistently, for PFOA and PFOS, and total lymphocytes (although the magnitudes of the differences were small). The increase in absolute lymphocyte count appeared to be evenly distributed across lymphocyte subsets since associations with their percentages were not significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain; Faculty of Nursing and Chiropody, Universitat de València, 46001 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Christian Carrizosa
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Michael I Luster
- School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
| | - Joseph B Margolick
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21279, USA
| | - Olga Costa
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Giovanni S Leonardi
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England (PHE), Chilton, Oxfordshire OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom; Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WCIH 9SH, United Kingdom
| | - Tony Fletcher
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England (PHE), Chilton, Oxfordshire OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom; Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WCIH 9SH, United Kingdom
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15
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Chang CJ, Barr DB, Zhang Q, Dunlop AL, Smarr MM, Kannan K, Panuwet P, Tangpricha V, Shi L, Liang D, Corwin EJ, Ryan PB. Associations of single and multiple per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure with vitamin D biomarkers in African American women during pregnancy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 202:111713. [PMID: 34284018 PMCID: PMC8578284 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Vitamin D has been linked to various physiological functions in pregnant women and their fetuses. Previous studies have suggested that some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may alter serum vitamin D concentrations. However, no study has investigated the relationship between PFAS and vitamin D in pregnant women. This study aims to evaluate the associations of serum PFAS with serum total and free 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) during pregnancy in a cohort of African American women in Atlanta, GA. Blood samples from 442 participants were collected in early pregnancy (8-14 weeks of gestation) for PFAS and 25(OH)D measurements, and additional samples were collected in late pregnancy (24-30 weeks) for the second 25(OH)D measurements. We fit multivariable linear regressions and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regressions to estimate the associations of individual PFAS and their mixtures with 25(OH)D concentrations. We found mostly positive associations of total 25(OH)D with PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid), PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), PFDA (perfluorodecanoic acid), and NMeFOSAA (N-methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid), and negative associations with PFPeA (perfluoropentanoic acid). For free 25(OH)D, positive associations were observed with PFHxS, PFOS, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), and PFDA, and a negative association with PFPeA among the women with male fetuses in the models using 25(OH)D measured in late pregnancy. In mixture models, a quartile increase in WQS index was associated with 2.88 ng/mL (95%CI 1.14-4.59) and 5.68 ng/mL (95%CI 3.31-8.04) increases in total 25(OH)D measured in the early and late pregnancy, respectively. NMeFOSAA, PFDA, and PFOS contributed the most to the overall effects among the eight PFAS. No association was found between free 25(OH)D and the PFAS mixture. These results suggest that PFAS may affect vitamin D biomarker concentrations in pregnant African American women, and some of the associations were modified by fetal sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Jung Chang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anne L Dunlop
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Melissa M Smarr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Vin Tangpricha
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipids, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Liuhua Shi
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - P Barry Ryan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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16
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Suppression of Th2 cytokines as a potential mechanism for reduced antibody response following PFOA exposure in female B6C3F1 mice. Toxicol Lett 2021; 351:155-162. [PMID: 34517056 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a member of the Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is a highly persistent "forever" chemicals with increasing concern for its potential health effects. However, the mechanisms of PFOA immunotoxic effects are poorly understood. We assessed the antibody response to a physiological antigen stimulation and associated cytokine response upon PFOA exposure. The significant decrease in the IgM antibody response to the T cell dependent antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) at a dose lower than the previously documented LOAEL was accompanied by a significant reduction of the Th2 serum cytokines IL-5 and IL-13, a non-significant dose-response reduction of IL-4, a significant reduction of the Th1 cytokine IL-12, and a non-significant dose-response increase in IL-2 and IFNγ. PFOA significantly decreased the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-17α and IL-1α, decreased (non-significantly but dose-response) IL-6, and a significantly increased TNFα. Overall, the modulation of serum Th1/Th2 cytokines could explain the reduction in antibody response, pointing to a potential role for T helper cells in the immunotoxicity of PFOA. Further, the higher than anticipated weight loss and increased liver weight, compared to previous studies using similar doses, highlight the potential importance of the route and duration of exposure, contributing to the total accumulated dose, in assessing the toxicity of PFOA.
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17
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Tian J, Hong Y, Li Z, Yang Z, Lei B, Liu J, Cai Z. Immunometabolism-modulation and immunotoxicity evaluation of perfluorooctanoic acid in macrophage. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 215:112128. [PMID: 33773150 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is one of the most commonly used perfluorinated chemicals in industry. Wide concerns of PFOA toxicity are increased in recent years. However, report on immunotoxicity of PFOA was quite limited. This study aimed to investigate the immunotoxicity of PFOA exposure on macrophage RAW264.7. We assessed the effects of PFOA exposure on macrophage cell viability, cell apoptosis and cellular ROS level, and detected prominent cytokines release by RAW264.7. The results indicated that the cell viability of macrophage RAW264.7 was decreased by PFOA in dose- and time-dependent manners. Specifically, the exposure of 200 μM PFOA significantly increased apoptosis and ROS generation in macrophage, and thus caused cell damage. The ELISA results displayed that 100 μM PFOA exposure induced macrophage activation and enhanced cytokines secretion, including TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-12. We also conducted nontargeted metabolomics based on LC-MS/MS and unveiled the perturbed metabolic pathways in macrophages induced by sublethal doses of PFOA (10 μM and 100 μM). Remarkably, global metabolomics results displayed that 10 μM PFOA exposure affected glutamine related pathways and the exposure at 100 μM conspicuously changed glutathione and fatty acid oxidation metabolism. These findings showed that 10 μM PFOA exposure could impel metabolic reprogramming of macrophage to trigger inflammatory response, although such dose displayed no obvious effect on cell viability, cellular ROS or apoptosis events of macrophage RAW264.7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinglin Tian
- Food Science and Technology Program, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, Zhuhai, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yanjun Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, China.
| | - Zhenchi Li
- Food Science and Technology Program, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, Zhuhai, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhiyi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bo Lei
- Food Science and Technology Program, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020-2024), Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Zongwei Cai
- Food Science and Technology Program, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, Zhuhai, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
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18
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Fishbein A, Hammock BD, Serhan CN, Panigrahy D. Carcinogenesis: Failure of resolution of inflammation? Pharmacol Ther 2021; 218:107670. [PMID: 32891711 PMCID: PMC7470770 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation in the tumor microenvironment is a hallmark of cancer and is recognized as a key characteristic of carcinogens. However, the failure of resolution of inflammation in cancer is only recently being understood. Products of arachidonic acid and related fatty acid metabolism called eicosanoids, including prostaglandins, leukotrienes, lipoxins, and epoxyeicosanoids, critically regulate inflammation, as well as its resolution. The resolution of inflammation is now appreciated to be an active biochemical process regulated by endogenous specialized pro-resolving lipid autacoid mediators which combat infections and stimulate tissue repair/regeneration. Environmental and chemical human carcinogens, including aflatoxins, asbestos, nitrosamines, alcohol, and tobacco, induce tumor-promoting inflammation and can disrupt the resolution of inflammation contributing to a devastating global cancer burden. While mechanisms of carcinogenesis have focused on genotoxic activity to induce mutations, nongenotoxic mechanisms such as inflammation and oxidative stress promote genotoxicity, proliferation, and mutations. Moreover, carcinogens initiate oxidative stress to synergize with inflammation and DNA damage to fuel a vicious feedback loop of cell death, tissue damage, and carcinogenesis. In contrast, stimulation of resolution of inflammation may prevent carcinogenesis by clearance of cellular debris via macrophage phagocytosis and inhibition of an eicosanoid/cytokine storm of pro-inflammatory mediators. Controlling the host inflammatory response and its resolution in carcinogen-induced cancers will be critical to reducing carcinogen-induced morbidity and mortality. Here we review the recent evidence that stimulation of resolution of inflammation, including pro-resolution lipid mediators and soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors, may be a new chemopreventive approach to prevent carcinogen-induced cancer that should be evaluated in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fishbein
- Center for Vascular Biology Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Bruce D. Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Charles N. Serhan
- Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dipak Panigrahy
- Center for Vascular Biology Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA,Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Schrenk D, Bignami M, Bodin L, Chipman JK, del Mazo J, Grasl‐Kraupp B, Hogstrand C, Hoogenboom L(R, Leblanc J, Nebbia CS, Nielsen E, Ntzani E, Petersen A, Sand S, Vleminckx C, Wallace H, Barregård L, Ceccatelli S, Cravedi J, Halldorsson TI, Haug LS, Johansson N, Knutsen HK, Rose M, Roudot A, Van Loveren H, Vollmer G, Mackay K, Riolo F, Schwerdtle T. Risk to human health related to the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances in food. EFSA J 2020; 18:e06223. [PMID: 32994824 PMCID: PMC7507523 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The European Commission asked EFSA for a scientific evaluation on the risks to human health related to the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in food. Based on several similar effects in animals, toxicokinetics and observed concentrations in human blood, the CONTAM Panel decided to perform the assessment for the sum of four PFASs: PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS. These made up half of the lower bound (LB) exposure to those PFASs with available occurrence data, the remaining contribution being primarily from PFASs with short half-lives. Equal potencies were assumed for the four PFASs included in the assessment. The mean LB exposure in adolescents and adult age groups ranged from 3 to 22, the 95th percentile from 9 to 70 ng/kg body weight (bw) per week. Toddlers and 'other children' showed a twofold higher exposure. Upper bound exposure was 4- to 49-fold higher than LB levels, but the latter were considered more reliable. 'Fish meat', 'Fruit and fruit products' and 'Eggs and egg products' contributed most to the exposure. Based on available studies in animals and humans, effects on the immune system were considered the most critical for the risk assessment. From a human study, a lowest BMDL 10 of 17.5 ng/mL for the sum of the four PFASs in serum was identified for 1-year-old children. Using PBPK modelling, this serum level of 17.5 ng/mL in children was estimated to correspond to long-term maternal exposure of 0.63 ng/kg bw per day. Since accumulation over time is important, a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 4.4 ng/kg bw per week was established. This TWI also protects against other potential adverse effects observed in humans. Based on the estimated LB exposure, but also reported serum levels, the CONTAM Panel concluded that parts of the European population exceed this TWI, which is of concern.
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Temkin AM, Hocevar BA, Andrews DQ, Naidenko OV, Kamendulis LM. Application of the Key Characteristics of Carcinogens to Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E1668. [PMID: 32143379 PMCID: PMC7084585 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17051668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) constitute a large class of environmentally persistent chemicals used in industrial and consumer products. Human exposure to PFAS is extensive, and PFAS contamination has been reported in drinking water and food supplies as well as in the serum of nearly all people. The most well-studied member of the PFAS class, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), induces tumors in animal bioassays and has been associated with elevated risk of cancer in human populations. GenX, one of the PFOA replacement chemicals, induces tumors in animal bioassays as well. Using the Key Characteristics of Carcinogens framework for cancer hazard identification, we considered the existing epidemiological, toxicological and mechanistic data for 26 different PFAS. We found strong evidence that multiple PFAS induce oxidative stress, are immunosuppressive, and modulate receptor-mediated effects. We also found suggestive evidence indicating that some PFAS can induce epigenetic alterations and influence cell proliferation. Experimental data indicate that PFAS are not genotoxic and generally do not undergo metabolic activation. Data are currently insufficient to assess whether any PFAS promote chronic inflammation, cellular immortalization or alter DNA repair. While more research is needed to address data gaps, evidence exists that several PFAS exhibit one or more of the key characteristics of carcinogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis M. Temkin
- Environmental Working Group, Washington, DC 20009, USA; (D.Q.A.); (O.V.N.)
| | - Barbara A. Hocevar
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; (B.A.H.); (L.M.K.)
| | - David Q. Andrews
- Environmental Working Group, Washington, DC 20009, USA; (D.Q.A.); (O.V.N.)
| | - Olga V. Naidenko
- Environmental Working Group, Washington, DC 20009, USA; (D.Q.A.); (O.V.N.)
| | - Lisa M. Kamendulis
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; (B.A.H.); (L.M.K.)
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López-Arellano P, López-Arellano K, Luna J, Flores D, Jiménez-Salazar J, Gavia G, Teteltitla M, Rodríguez JJ, Domínguez A, Casas E, Bahena I, Betancourt M, González C, Ducolomb Y, Bonilla E. Perfluorooctanoic acid disrupts gap junction intercellular communication and induces reactive oxygen species formation and apoptosis in mouse ovaries. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2019; 34:92-98. [PMID: 30277307 DOI: 10.1002/tox.22661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a member of the perfluoroalkyl acid family of compounds. Due to the presence of strong carbon-fluorine bonds, it is practically nonbiodegradable and highly persistent in the environment. PFOA has been detected in the follicular fluid of women, and positively associated with reduced fecundability and infertility. However, there are no reports concerning the experimental evaluation of PFOA on oocyte toxicity in mammals. The aim of the present study was to determine if PFOA is able to induce oxidative stress in fetal ovaries and cause apoptosis in oocytes in vitro. In addition, since inhibition of the gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) by PFOA has been demonstrated in liver cells in vivo and in vitro, the effect of PFOA on the GJIC between the oocyte and its supportive cumulus cells was studied. Results show that PFOA induced oocyte apoptosis and necrosis in vitro (medium lethal concentration, LC50 = 112.8 μM), as evaluated with Annexin-V-Alexa 508 in combination with BOBO-1 staining. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, as assessed by DCFH-DA, increased significantly in fetal ovaries exposed to ¼ LC50 (28.2 μM, a noncytotoxic and relevant occupational exposure concentration) and LC50 PFOA ex vivo. This perfluorinated compound also caused the blockage of GJIC in cumulus cells-oocyte complexes (COCs) obtained from female mice exposed in vivo, as evaluated by calcein transfer from cumulus cells to the oocyte. The ability of PFOA of disrupting the GJIC in COCs, generating ROS in the fetal ovary and causing apoptosis and necrosis in mammal's oocytes, might account for the reported association between increasing maternal plasma concentrations of PFOA with reduced fertility in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia López-Arellano
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
- Maestría en Biología de la Reproducción Animal, División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Keila López-Arellano
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Jaquelinne Luna
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Diana Flores
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Javier Jiménez-Salazar
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Graciela Gavia
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Mario Teteltitla
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Juan José Rodríguez
- Unidad de Investigación en Genética y Toxicología Ambiental, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Domínguez
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Casas
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Ivan Bahena
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Miguel Betancourt
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Cristina González
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Yvonne Ducolomb
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Edmundo Bonilla
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, CDMX, Mexico
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Knutsen HK, Alexander J, Barregård L, Bignami M, Brüschweiler B, Ceccatelli S, Cottrill B, Dinovi M, Edler L, Grasl-Kraupp B, Hogstrand C, Hoogenboom LR, Nebbia CS, Oswald IP, Petersen A, Rose M, Roudot AC, Vleminckx C, Vollmer G, Wallace H, Bodin L, Cravedi JP, Halldorsson TI, Haug LS, Johansson N, van Loveren H, Gergelova P, Mackay K, Levorato S, van Manen M, Schwerdtle T. Risk to human health related to the presence of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid in food. EFSA J 2018; 16:e05194. [PMID: 32625773 PMCID: PMC7009575 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The European Commission asked EFSA for a scientific evaluation on the risks to human health related to the presence of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in food. Regarding PFOS and PFOA occurrence, the final data set available for dietary exposure assessment contained a total of 20,019 analytical results (PFOS n = 10,191 and PFOA n = 9,828). There were large differences between upper and lower bound exposure due to analytical methods with insufficient sensitivity. The CONTAM Panel considered the lower bound estimates to be closer to true exposure levels. Important contributors to the lower bound mean chronic exposure were 'Fish and other seafood', 'Meat and meat products' and 'Eggs and egg products', for PFOS, and 'Milk and dairy products', 'Drinking water' and 'Fish and other seafood' for PFOA. PFOS and PFOA are readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, excreted in urine and faeces, and do not undergo metabolism. Estimated human half-lives for PFOS and PFOA are about 5 years and 2-4 years, respectively. The derivation of a health-based guidance value was based on human epidemiological studies. For PFOS, the increase in serum total cholesterol in adults, and the decrease in antibody response at vaccination in children were identified as the critical effects. For PFOA, the increase in serum total cholesterol was the critical effect. Also reduced birth weight (for both compounds) and increased prevalence of high serum levels of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (for PFOA) were considered. After benchmark modelling of serum levels of PFOS and PFOA, and estimating the corresponding daily intakes, the CONTAM Panel established a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 13 ng/kg body weight (bw) per week for PFOS and 6 ng/kg bw per week for PFOA. For both compounds, exposure of a considerable proportion of the population exceeds the proposed TWIs.
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Liu C, Gin KYH. Immunotoxicity in green mussels under perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure: Reversible response and response model development. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2018; 37:1138-1145. [PMID: 29405365 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The immunotoxicity of 4 commonly detected perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), namely, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) was investigated by measuring biomarkers of the immune profile of green mussels, Perna viridis. The biomarkers included neutral red retention, phagocytosis, and spontaneous cytotoxicity, all of which were tested on mussel hemocytes. Hemocytes are an important component of the invertebrate immune system. We found that exposure to PFASs could lead to reduced hemocyte cell viability and suppress immune function by up to 50% of normal performance within the experimental exposure range. The results indicate that PFASs have an immunotoxic potential and thus could pose severe health risks to aquatic organisms. The reported immunotoxicity is likely to result from the compounds' direct and indirect interactions with the hemocyte membrane, and therefore likely to affect the functionality of these cells. The immunotoxic response was found to be related to the organism's burden of PFASs, and was reversible when the compounds were removed from the test organisms. Based on this relationship, models using an organism's PFAS concentration and bioaccumulation factor (BAF) as the independent variables were established to quantify PFAS-induced immunotoxicity. The models help us to gain a better understanding of the toxic mechanism of PFASs, and provide a tool to evaluate adverse effects for the whole group of compounds with one mathematical equation. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1138-1145. © 2018 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhui Liu
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Karina Yew-Hoong Gin
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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24
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Frawley RP, Smith M, Cesta MF, Hayes-Bouknight S, Blystone C, Kissling GE, Harris S, Germolec D. Immunotoxic and hepatotoxic effects of perfluoro-n-decanoic acid (PFDA) on female Harlan Sprague–Dawley rats and B6C3F1/N mice when administered by oral gavage for 28 days. J Immunotoxicol 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2018.1445145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel P. Frawley
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Matthew Smith
- Richard Bland College of William & Mary, South Prince George, VA, USA
| | - Mark F. Cesta
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Chad Blystone
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Grace E. Kissling
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Shawn Harris
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dori Germolec
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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25
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Li K, Gao P, Xiang P, Zhang X, Cui X, Ma LQ. Molecular mechanisms of PFOA-induced toxicity in animals and humans: Implications for health risks. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2017; 99:43-54. [PMID: 27871799 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Revised: 11/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
As an emerging persistent organic pollutant (POP), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) is one of the most abundant perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the environment. This review summarized the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways of PFOA-induced toxicity in animals and humans as well as their implications for health risks in humans. Traditional PFOA-induced signal pathways such as peroxisome proliferating receptor alpha (PPARα), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), farnesoid X receptor (FXR), and pregnane-X receptor (PXR) may not be important for PFOA-induced health effects on humans. Instead, pathways including p53/mitochondrial pathway, nuclear lipid hyperaccumulation, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-serine/threonine protein kinase (PI3K-AKT), and tumor necrosis factor-α/nuclear factor κB (TNF-α/NF-κB) may play an important role for PFOA-induced health risks in humans. Both in vivo and in vitro studies are needed to better understand the PFOA-induced toxicity mechanisms as well as the associated health risk in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu 210046, China
| | - Peng Gao
- Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | - Ping Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu 210046, China
| | - Xuxiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu 210046, China
| | - Xinyi Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu 210046, China.
| | - Lena Q Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu 210046, China; Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States.
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Wang Y, Lin H, Jin F, Niu J, Zhao J, Bi Y, Li Y. Electrocoagulation mechanism of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) on a zinc anode: Influence of cathodes and anions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 557-558:542-550. [PMID: 27037875 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of cathode materials and anions (Cl(-), SO4(2-), NO3(-), and CO3(2-)/HCO3(-)) on perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) removal in electrocoagulation process using zinc anode. The results indicated that the hydroxide flocs generated in-situ in the electrocoagulation process using the stainless steel rod as cathode were more effective than those using aluminum rod as cathode for the removal of PFOA after 20min of electrocoagulation at a current density of 0.5mAcm(-2). Hydroxide flocs generated in-situ in the electrocoagulation in the presence of Cl(-)/NO3(-) could effectively remove PFOA from aqueous solution with the removal ratios of 99.7%/98.1% and 98.9%/97.3% using stainless steel rod and aluminum rod as cathode, respectively. However, the PFOA removal ratios were 96.2%/4.1% and 7.4%/4.6% using stainless steel rod and aluminum rod as cathode, respectively, in the presence of SO4(2-) and CO3(2-)/HCO3(-). The different removal ratios of PFOA during the electrocoagulation process were primarily due to the fact that the hydroxide flocs generated in-situ were different in the presence of diverse cathodes and anions. We firstly demonstrated that Zn0.70Al0.30(OH)2(CO3)0.15·xH2O and ZnO generated in-situ in the electrocoagulation process (except for CO3(2-)/HCO3(-)) using zinc anode and aluminum/stainless steel rod cathode governed the sorption of PFOA. The adsorbent hydroxide flocs in-situ generated in the presence of Cl(-) could effectively remove PFOA from aqueous solution containing CO3(2-)/HCO3(-) anion at the initial hydroxide flocs concentration of 2000mgL(-1). These results provided an effective and alternative method to remove PFOA from aqueous solution containing CO3(2-)/HCO3(-) anion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
| | - Hui Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
| | - Fangyuan Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
| | - Junfeng Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
| | - Jinbo Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
| | - Ying Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
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Kim M, Park MS, Son J, Park I, Lee HK, Kim C, Min BH, Ryoo J, Choi KS, Lee DS, Lee HS. Perfluoroheptanoic acid affects amphibian embryogenesis by inducing the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK. Int J Mol Med 2015; 36:1693-700. [PMID: 26459765 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2015.2370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) are globally distributed synthetic compounds that are known to adversely affect human health. Developmental toxicity assessment of PFCs is important to facilitate the evaluation of their environmental impact. In the present study, we assessed the developmental toxicity and teratogenicity of PFCs with different numbers of carbon atoms on Xenopus embryogenesis. An initial frog embryo teratogenicity assay-Xenopus (FETAX) assay was performed that identified perfluorohexanoic (PFHxA) and perfluoroheptanoic (PFHpA) acids as potential teratogens and developmental toxicants. The mechanism underlying this teratogenicity was also investigated by measuring the expression of tissue-specific biomarkers such as phosphotyrosine‑binding protein, xPTB (liver); NKX2.5 (heart); and Cyl18 (intestine). Whole‑mount in situ hybridization, reverse transcriptase‑polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and histologic analyses detected severe defects in the liver and heart following exposure to PFHxA or PFHpA. In addition, immunoblotting revealed that PFHpA significantly increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), while PFHxA slightly increased these, as compared with the control. These results suggest that PFHxA and PFHpA are developmental toxicants and teratogens, with PFHpA producing more severe effects on liver and heart development through the induction of ERK and JNK phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miran Kim
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Seon Park
- Aquaculture Management Division, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Busan 619-705, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungeun Son
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Inji Park
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Kyung Lee
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Chowon Kim
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Hwa Min
- Aquaculture Management Division, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Busan 619-705, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaewoong Ryoo
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Shik Choi
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Seok Lee
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Shik Lee
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea
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Quercetin protects against perfluorooctanoic acid-induced liver injury by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammatory response in mice. Int Immunopharmacol 2015; 28:129-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2015.05.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Zhang H, Fang W, Wang D, Gao N, Ding Y, Chen C. The role of interleukin family in perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)-induced immunotoxicity. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2014; 280:552-60. [PMID: 25212589 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.08.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Revised: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/24/2014] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a prominent perfluorinated compound (PFC), has been widely detected in natural water bodies worldwide. In this study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) was exposed to nominal concentrations of PFOA (0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg/L) for 21 d. After exposure, each fish was decapitated, and the spleen was removed to detect the expression patterns of P65 transcription factor, myeloid differentiation 88, relative interleukins (ILs), and antibody genes. PFOA can stimulate pro-inflammatory cytokine at a low exposure concentration (0.05 mg/L) and can inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokine at higher exposure concentrations (≥ 0.1mg/L). The results of linear correlation analysis indicate that Myd88/NF-κB pathway is one of the important pathways to mediate inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β and IL-21) in zebrafish spleen. Additionally, the relative mRNA expression level of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) at 1mg/L PFOA group was decreased to 56% of its corresponding level in the control. IL secretion disorder is possibly closely related to PFOA-induced TLR2 damage in zebrafish spleen. Furthermore, data show that the trends of PFOA-induced IL secretion have a relationship with Ig-secreting trend. This study demonstrates that PFOA can affect IL expression level through NF-κB, and ILs have an important function in the mediation of Ig secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangjun Zhang
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310036, PR China; Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310036, PR China.
| | - Wendi Fang
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310036, PR China
| | - Dandan Wang
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310036, PR China
| | - Nana Gao
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310036, PR China
| | - Ying Ding
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310036, PR China; Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310036, PR China
| | - Chao Chen
- Hangzhou Academy of Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310014, PR China
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Wang Y, Niu J, Zhang L, Shi J. Toxicity assessment of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) towards the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 491-492:266-70. [PMID: 24572989 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2013] [Revised: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The effects of acute toxicity, 3-day population growth and morphological effects of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) with carbon chain lengths of 2-6 on the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus were investigated. The results indicated that the 24-h median lethal concentration (LC50) values of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), perfluoropropionic acid (PFPrA), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluopentanoic acid (PFPeA), and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) towards B. calyciflorus were 70, 80, 110, 130 and 140 mg L(-1), respectively. The acute effects of PFCAs decreased with the increase of carbon chain length. The parameters used to determine 3-day population growth on these compounds were the rate of population increase (r) and mictic ratio. With the increase of fluorinated carbon-chain length, the r values of TFA, PFPrA, PFBA, PFPeA and PFHxA decreased by 0.99%, 16.8%, 16.5%, 22.4% and 32.0%, respectively. Mictic ratios ranged from 0.707 to 0.953 for PFCAs with carbon chain lengths of 2-6. In addition, the mictic ratio, body size and egg size exposed to some PFCAs were higher than those of the controls. These results offer a useful method for the ecological risk assessment of these short chain PFCAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
| | - Junfeng Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
| | - Lilan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
| | - Jianghong Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China
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Involvement of oxidative stress and inflammation in liver injury caused by perfluorooctanoic acid exposure in mice. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:409837. [PMID: 24724082 PMCID: PMC3958804 DOI: 10.1155/2014/409837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/19/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is widely present in the environment and has been reported to induce hepatic toxicity in animals and humans. In this study, mice were orally administered different concentrations of PFOA (2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg/day). Histological examination showed that the exposure to PFOA for 14 consecutive days led to serious hepatocellular injury and obvious inflammatory cell infiltration. In addition, malondialdehyde formation and hydrogen peroxide generation, indicators of oxidative stress, were significantly induced by PFOA treatment in the liver of mice. Furthermore, hepatic levels of interleukin-6, cyclooxygenase-2, and C-reactive protein, markers of inflammatory response, were markedly increased by exposure to PFOA in mice. These results demonstrated that PFOA-induced hepatic toxicity may be involved in oxidative stress and inflammatory response in mice.
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Kim M, Son J, Park MS, Ji Y, Chae S, Jun C, Bae JS, Kwon TK, Choo YS, Yoon H, Yoon D, Ryoo J, Kim SH, Park MJ, Lee HS. In vivo evaluation and comparison of developmental toxicity and teratogenicity of perfluoroalkyl compounds using Xenopus embryos. CHEMOSPHERE 2013; 93:1153-1160. [PMID: 23910242 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Revised: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) are environmental toxicants that persistently accumulate in human blood. Their widespread detection and accumulation in the environment raise concerns about whether these chemicals might be developmental toxicants and teratogens in ecosystem. We evaluated and compared the toxicity of PFCs of containing various numbers of carbon atoms (C8-11 carbons) on vertebrate embryogenesis. We assessed the developmental toxicity and teratogenicity of various PFCs. The toxic effects on Xenopus embryos were evaluated using different methods. We measured teratogenic indices (TIs), and investigated the mechanisms underlying developmental toxicity and teratogenicity by measuring the expression of organ-specific biomarkers such as xPTB (liver), Nkx2.5 (heart), and Cyl18 (intestine). All PFCs that we tested were found to be developmental toxicants and teratogens. Their toxic effects were strengthened with increasing length of the fluorinated carbon chain. Furthermore, we produced evidence showing that perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFuDA) are more potent developmental toxicants and teratogens in an animal model compared to the other PFCs we evaluated [perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)]. In particular, severe defects resulting from PFDA and PFuDA exposure were observed in the liver and heart, respectively, using whole mount in situ hybridization, real-time PCR, pathologic analysis of the heart, and dissection of the liver. Our studies suggest that most PFCs are developmental toxicants and teratogens, however, compounds that have higher numbers of carbons (i.e., PFDA and PFuDA) exert more potent effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miran Kim
- ABRC, CMRI, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, South Korea
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Tan X, Xie G, Sun X, Li Q, Zhong W, Qiao P, Sun X, Jia W, Zhou Z. High fat diet feeding exaggerates perfluorooctanoic acid-induced liver injury in mice via modulating multiple metabolic pathways. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61409. [PMID: 23626681 PMCID: PMC3634078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Accepted: 03/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
High fat diet (HFD) is closely linked to a variety of health issues including fatty liver. Exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a synthetic perfluorinated carboxylic acid, also causes liver injury. The present study investigated the possible interactions between high fat diet and PFOA in induction of liver injury. Mice were pair-fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or low fat control with or without PFOA administration at 5 mg/kg/day for 3 weeks. Exposure to PFOA alone caused elevated plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and increased liver weight along with reduced body weight and adipose tissue mass. HFD alone did not cause liver damage, but exaggerated PFOA-induced hepatotoxicity as indicated by higher plasma ALT and AST levels, and more severe pathological changes including hepatocyte hypertrophy, lipid droplet accumulation and necrosis as well as inflammatory cell infiltration. These additive effects of HFD on PFOA-induced hepatotoxicity correlated with metabolic disturbance in liver and blood as well as up-regulation of hepatic proinflammatory cytokine genes. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that both serum and hepatic metabolite profiles of PFOA, HFD, or HFD-PFOA group were clearly differentiated from that of controls. PFOA affected more hepatic metabolites than HFD, but HFD showed positive interaction with PFOA on fatty acid metabolites including long chain fatty acids and acylcarnitines. Taken together, dietary high fat potentiates PFOA-induced hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation and necrotic cell death by disturbing hepatic metabolism and inducing inflammation. This study demonstrated, for the first time, that HFD increases the risk of PFOA in induction of hepatotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Tan
- Center for Translational Biomedical Research, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Guoxiang Xie
- Center for Translational Biomedical Research, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Xiuhua Sun
- Center for Translational Biomedical Research, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Qiong Li
- Center for Translational Biomedical Research, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Wei Zhong
- Center for Translational Biomedical Research, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Peter Qiao
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Xinguo Sun
- Center for Translational Biomedical Research, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Wei Jia
- Center for Translational Biomedical Research, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Zhanxiang Zhou
- Center for Translational Biomedical Research, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
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Fair PA, Romano T, Schaefer AM, Reif JS, Bossart GD, Houde M, Muir D, Adams J, Rice C, Hulsey TC, Peden-Adams M. Associations between perfluoroalkyl compounds and immune and clinical chemistry parameters in highly exposed bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2013; 32:736-746. [PMID: 23322558 DOI: 10.1002/etc.2122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2012] [Revised: 10/16/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) are ubiquitous, persistent chemical contaminants found in the environment, wildlife, and humans. Despite the widespread occurrence of PFCs, little is known about the impact these contaminants have on the health of wildlife populations. The authors investigated the relationship between PFCs (including ∑perfluorocarboxylates, ∑perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid) and the clinocopathologic and immune parameters in a highly exposed population (n = 79) of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (mean ∑PFCs = 1970 ng/ml; range 574-8670 ng/ml) sampled from 2003 to 2005 near Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Age-adjusted linear regression models showed statistically significant positive associations between exposure to one or more of the PFC totals and/or individual analytes and the following immunological parameters: absolute numbers of CD2+ T cells, CD4+ helper T cells, CD19+ immature B cells, CD21+ mature B cells, CD2/CD21 ratio, MHCII+ cells, B cell proliferation, serum IgG1, granulocytic, and monocytic phagocytosis. Several PFC analyte groups were also positively associated with serum alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, creatinine, phosphorus, amylase, and anion gap and negatively associated with cholesterol levels, creatinine phosphokinase, eosinophils, and monocytes. Based on these relationships, the authors suggest that the PFC concentrations found in Charleston dolphins may have effects on immune, hematopoietic, kidney, and liver function. The results contribute to the emerging data on PFC health effects in this first study to describe associations between PFCs and health parameters in dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Fair
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
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Lee S, Kim MS, Lee D, Kwon TK, Khang D, Yun HS, Kim SH. The comparative immunotoxicity of mesoporous silica nanoparticles and colloidal silica nanoparticles in mice. Int J Nanomedicine 2013; 8:147-58. [PMID: 23326190 PMCID: PMC3544348 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s39534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mesoporous silica (MPS) nanoparticles (NPs), which have a unique pore structure and extremely large surface area and pore volume, have received much attention because of their biomedical application potential. Using MPS NPs for biomedical devices requires the verification of their biocompatibility because the surface area of NPs is one of the most important determinants of toxicity, including the cellular uptake and immune response. We have previously reported that the cytotoxicity and inflammation potential of MPS NPs have been shown to be lower than those of general amorphous colloidal silica (Col) NPs in macrophages, but the low cytotoxicity does not guarantee high biocompatibility in vivo. In this study, we compared the in vivo immunotoxicity of MPS and Col NPs in the mouse model to define the effects of pore structural conditions of silica NPs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Both MPS and Col NPs (2, 20, and 50 mg/kg/day) were intraperitoneally administered in female BALB/c mice for 4 weeks, and clinical toxicity, lymphocyte population, serum IgG/IgM levels, and histological changes were examined. RESULTS There was no overt sign of clinical toxicity in either MPS- or Col-treated mice. However, MPS NPs led to significant increases in liver and spleen weight and splenocyte proliferation. Mice treated with MPS NPs showed altered lymphocyte populations (CD3(+), CD45(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+)) in the spleen, increased serum IgG and IgM levels, and histological changes. Despite slight changes in lymphocyte populations in the spleen, Col NPs did not alter other immunological factors. CONCLUSION The results indicate that in vivo exposure to MPS NPs caused more damage to systemic immunity than that of Col NPs through the dysregulation of the spleen. The results for in vivo data are inconsistent with those for in vitro data, which show lower cytotoxicity for MPS NPs. These results suggest the importance of verifying biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo during the design of new nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soyoung Lee
- CMRI, Laboratory of Immunotoxicology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
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Hu Q, Franklin JN, Bryan I, Morris E, Wood A, DeWitt JC. Does developmental exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) induce immunopathologies commonly observed in neurodevelopmental disorders? Neurotoxicology 2012; 33:1491-1498. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2012.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2012] [Revised: 10/28/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Post GB, Cohn PD, Cooper KR. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), an emerging drinking water contaminant: a critical review of recent literature. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2012; 116:93-117. [PMID: 22560884 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2012.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 369] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2011] [Revised: 02/03/2012] [Accepted: 03/12/2012] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an anthropogenic contaminant that differs in several ways from most other well-studied organic chemicals found in drinking water. PFOA is extremely resistant to environmental degradation processes and thus persists indefinitely. Unlike most other persistent and bioaccumulative organic pollutants, PFOA is water-soluble, does not bind well to soil or sediments, and bioaccumulates in serum rather than in fat. It has been detected in finished drinking water and drinking water sources impacted by releases from industrial facilities and waste water treatment plants, as well as in waters with no known point sources. However, the overall occurrence and population exposure from drinking water is not known. PFOA persists in humans with a half-life of several years and is found in the serum of almost all U.S. residents and in populations worldwide. Exposure sources include food, food packaging, consumer products, house dust, and drinking water. Continued exposure to even relatively low concentrations in drinking water can substantially increase total human exposure, with a serum:drinking water ratio of about 100:1. For example, ongoing exposures to drinking water concentrations of 10 ng/L, 40 ng/L, 100 ng/L, or 400 ng/L are expected to increase mean serum levels by about 25%, 100%, 250%, and 1000%, respectively, from the general population background serum level of about 4 ng/mL. Infants are potentially a sensitive subpopulation for PFOA's developmental effects, and their exposure through breast milk from mothers who use contaminated drinking water and/or from formula prepared with contaminated drinking water is higher than in adults exposed to the same drinking water concentration. Numerous health endpoints are associated with human PFOA exposure in the general population, communities with contaminated drinking water, and workers. As is the case for most such epidemiology studies, causality for these effects is not proven. Unlike most other well-studied drinking water contaminants, the human dose-response curve for several effects appears to be steepest at the lower exposure levels, including the general population range, with no apparent threshold for some endpoints. There is concordance in animals and humans for some effects, while humans and animals appear to react differently for other effects such as lipid metabolism. PFOA was classified as "likely to be carcinogenic in humans" by the USEPA Science Advisory Board. In animal studies, developmental effects have been identified as more sensitive endpoints for toxicity than carcinogenicity or the long-established hepatic effects. Notably, exposure to an environmentally relevant drinking water concentration caused adverse effects on mammary gland development in mice. This paper reviews current information relevant to the assessment of PFOA as an emerging drinking water contaminant. This information suggests that continued human exposure to even relatively low concentrations of PFOA in drinking water results in elevated body burdens that may increase the risk of health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria B Post
- Office of Science, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA.
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Dong GH, Zhang YH, Zheng L, Liang ZF, Jin YH, He QC. Subchronic effects of perfluorooctanesulfonate exposure on inflammation in adult male C57BL/6 mice. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2012; 27:285-296. [PMID: 20737580 DOI: 10.1002/tox.20642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2010] [Revised: 07/06/2010] [Accepted: 07/14/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies indicate that exposure to perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), a ubiquitous and highly persistent environmental contaminant, induces immunotoxicity in mice. However, few studies have specifically assessed the effects of PFOS on inflammation. This study utilized a standard 60-day oral exposure period to assess the effects of PFOS on the response of inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)]. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were dosed daily by oral gavage with PFOS at 0, 0.0083, 0.0167, 0.0833, 0.4167, 0.8333 or 2.0833 mg/kg/day to yield a targeted Total Administered Dose (TAD) over 60 days of 0, 0.5, 1, 5, 25, 50, or 125 mg PFOS/kg, respectively. The percentage of peritoneal macrophages (CD11b+ cells) was significantly increased at concentrations ≥ 1 mg PFOS/kg TAD in a dose-dependent manner. Ex vivo IL-1β production by peritoneal macrophages was elevated substantially at concentrations of ≥ 5 mg PFOS/kg TAD. Moreover, PFOS exposure markedly enhanced the ex vivo production of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 by peritoneal and splenic macrophages when stimulated either in vitro or in vivo with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The serum levels of these inflammatory cytokines observed in response to in vivo stimulation with LPS were elevated substantially by exposure to PFOS. PFOS exposure elevated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and proto-oncogene, c-myc, in the spleen. These data suggest that exposure to PFOS modulates the inflammatory response, and further research is needed to determine the mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Hui Dong
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, People's Republic of China.
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Singh TSK, Lee S, Kim HH, Choi JK, Kim SH. Perfluorooctanoic acid induces mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation by the release of histamine and inflammatory mediators. Toxicol Lett 2012; 210:64-70. [PMID: 22322153 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2012.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Revised: 01/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/19/2012] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has unique physical and chemical characteristics, water and oil repellency, thermal stability, and surfactant properties. PFOA has been regularly found in the blood of animals and humans worldwide, and has become an increasing concern because of its adverse effects in immune system. However, the role of PFOA in the allergic inflammation is not well-known. To further extend the immunotoxicity of PFOA, we examined the role of PFOA on the mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation and studied the possible mechanism of action. PFOA dose- and time-dependently increased histamine release from mast cells and serum histamine by the induction of intracellular calcium. PFOA exacerbated the IgE-dependent local allergic reaction in the mouse allergy model. PFOA induced gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 in mast cells. The inducing effect of PFOA on the pro-inflammatory cytokines was nuclear factor-κB, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and caspase-1 dependent. Furthermore, the activation of cyclooxygenase-2 by PFOA suggests the induction of allergic inflammatory mediators by the PFOA. Our findings provide evidence that PFOA, the known immunotoxic agent, induces mast cell-derived allergic inflammatory reactions by histamine release and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thoudam S K Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
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41
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DeWitt JC, Peden-Adams MM, Keller JM, Germolec DR. Immunotoxicity of Perfluorinated Compounds: Recent Developments. Toxicol Pathol 2011; 40:300-11. [DOI: 10.1177/0192623311428473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jamie C. DeWitt
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Margie M. Peden-Adams
- Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Jennifer M. Keller
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Dori R. Germolec
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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White SS, Fenton SE, Hines EP. Endocrine disrupting properties of perfluorooctanoic acid. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2011; 127:16-26. [PMID: 21397692 PMCID: PMC3335904 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2011.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2010] [Revised: 02/18/2011] [Accepted: 03/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have attracted attention in recent years for their environmental ubiquity, as well as their toxicity. Several PFAAs are found in human tissues globally, as humans are exposed on a daily basis through intake of contaminated food, water, and air, irrespective of proximity to industry. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a PFAA shown to be developmentally toxic in mice, with broad and varied health consequences that may include long-lasting effects in reproductive tissues and metabolic reprogramming. To date, the only demonstrated mode of action by which the health effects of PFOA are mediated is via the activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα). The endogenous roles for this receptor, as well as the adverse outcomes of activation by exogenous agents during development, are currently under investigation. Recent studies suggest that PFOA may alter steroid hormone production or act indirectly, via ovarian effects, as a novel means of endocrine disruption. Here we review the existing literature on the known health effects of PFOA in animal models, focusing on sensitive developmental periods. To complement this, we also present epidemiologic health data, with the caveat that these studies largely address only associations between adult exposures and outcomes, rarely focusing on endocrine-specific endpoints, susceptible subpopulations, or windows of sensitivity. Further research in these areas is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally S. White
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Suzanne E. Fenton
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Erin P. Hines
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Brieger A, Bienefeld N, Hasan R, Goerlich R, Haase H. Impact of perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid on human peripheral leukocytes. Toxicol In Vitro 2011; 25:960-8. [PMID: 21397682 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2011.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2010] [Revised: 02/11/2011] [Accepted: 03/07/2011] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), such as perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are xenobiotics that can be detected worldwide in the environment, wildlife, and humans. So far, the immunotoxicity of PFCs has only been investigated in rodents, but not in humans. In this study, we explore the impact of PFOS and PFOA on selected functions of human leukocytes in vitro. PFOS induced a significant decrease of natural killer-cell activity and reduced the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α following lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulation. Furthermore, the plasma PFOS concentrations (2.09-8.98 ng/ml) found in our study subjects correlated positively with the LPS-stimulated IL-6 release. PFOA augmented significantly calcitriol-induced monocytic differentiation of the HL-60 cell line. Additionally, there was a significant linear relationship between LPS-stimulated TNF-α and IL-6 release, and the plasma PFOA (1.20-6.92ng/ml) concentrations of the study subjects. In conclusion, the investigated PFCs affect human immune cells mainly with regard to natural killer-cell cytotoxicity and the pro-inflammatory cytokine release by stimulated macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Brieger
- Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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Fair PA, Driscoll E, Mollenhauer MAM, Bradshaw SG, Yun SH, Kannan K, Bossart GD, Keil DE, Peden-Adams MM. Effects of environmentally-relevant levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate on clinical parameters and immunological functions in B6C3F1 mice. J Immunotoxicol 2011; 8:17-29. [PMID: 21261439 DOI: 10.3109/1547691x.2010.527868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the first part of a series of studies to account for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)-induced sheep red blood cell (SRBC)-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody suppression in mice, a survey of clinical and immunotoxicological endpoints was examined. Adult female B₆C₃F₁ mice were exposed orally for 28 days to a total administered dose (TAD) of 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, or 5 mg PFOS/kg. Uterus wet weight was significantly decreased compared with control at the 5 mg/kg dose. No indications of wasting syndrome, malnutrition, alteration of thyroid homeostasis, or signs of overt toxicity were observed. Numbers of splenic CD19+/CD21⁻, CD19+/CD21+, B220+/CD40+, CD4+/CD154⁻, CD4+/CD154+, and MHC-II+ cells were not altered. Additionally, ex vivo interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, and IL-6 production by in vitro anti-CD3- or phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated CD4+ T-cells was not affected. Ex vivo IL-6 production by B-cells was significantly increased by in vitro stimulation with either anti-CD40 or lipopolysaccharide. Increased IL-6 production by B-cells was the most sensitive endpoint assessed resulting in alterations at the lowest dose tested (0.1 mg/kg TAD) following anti-CD40 stimulation. Further studies are required to characterize effects on inflammatory markers such as IL-6 at environmentally relevant concentrations of PFOS and to determine the key events associated with PFOS-induced IgM suppression to address potential human health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Fair
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Environmental Health & Biomolecular Research, Charleston, SC, USA
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Yang JH. Perfluorooctanoic acid induces peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation and cytokine expression in the liver of male Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). CHEMOSPHERE 2010; 81:548-52. [PMID: 20594573 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2010] [Revised: 04/27/2010] [Accepted: 06/07/2010] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Widespread contamination of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the marine environment draws a great concern over its ecotoxicological impact on marine mammals and wildlife. In the present study, male Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) was adapted to seawater to mimic the marine environment and was then exposed to the nominal concentrations of 10, 50, 100 mg L(-1) PFOA for 7d. There were no impact on survival, relative liver and gonad size, and condition factor (measure of growth) at any concentration tested. Peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) activity was elevated at the highest dose with a marginal significance (P=0.06). The increase of ACO activity was paralleled by the significant upregulation of PPAR-α expression at the same dose. PFOA induced a significant inhibition of catalase (CAT) activity at high doses with no changes of superoxide dismutase (SOD) or glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in the liver. These results strongly suggest that PFOA may induce peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation and impose the oxidative stress through the alteration of cellular oxidative homeostasis in the liver. PFOA increased the mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β, suggesting that it may be involved in inflammation and tissue injury. This study may contribute to understanding the mechanism of PFOA-induced hepatic toxicity in Japanese medaka and assessing the potential risk of PFOA in marine fish and wildlife. In addition, the present results obtained at the high concentrations may provide important biological endpoints relevant to situations such as environmental spills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Ho Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Republic of Korea.
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