Transcriptional effects of PFOS in isolated hepatocytes from Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L

Gradual effects of gradient concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate on the antioxidant ability and gut microbiota of red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a typical persistent organic pollutant that is characterized by environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. In this study, we investigated the gut microbial response of the red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus after 28 days of exposure to 0 ng/L, 1 ng/L, 10 μg/L, or 10 mg/L of PFOS as a stressor. We measured oxidative stress-related enzyme activities and expression of molecules related to detoxification mechanisms to evaluate the toxic effects of PFOS. We found that PFOS disturbed microbial homeostasis in the gut of C. quadricarinatus, resulting in increased abundance of the pathogen Shewanella and decreased abundance of the beneficial bacterium Lactobacillus. The latter especially disturbed amino acid transport and carbohydrate transport. We also found that the activities of glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase were positively correlated with the expression levels of cytochrome P450 genes (GST1-1, GSTP, GSTK1, HPGDS, UGT5), which are products of PFOS-induced oxidative stress and play an antioxidant role in the body. The results of this study provided valuable ecotoxicological data to better understand the biological fate and effects of PFOS in C. quadricarinatus.

Differential gene expression and developmental pathologies associated with persistent organic pollutants in sentinel fish in Troutman Lake, Sivuqaq, Alaska

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are lipophilic compounds that bioaccumulate in animals and biomagnify within food webs. Many POPs are endocrine disrupting compounds that impact vertebrate development. POPs accumulate in the Arctic via global distillation and thereby impact high trophic level vertebrates as well as people who live a subsistence lifestyle. The Arctic also contains thousands of point sources of pollution, such as formerly used defense (FUD) sites. Sivuqaq (St. Lawrence Island), Alaska was used by the U.S. military during the Cold War and FUD sites on the island remain point sources of POP contamination. We examined the effects of POP exposure on ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) collected from Troutman Lake in the village of Gambell as a model for human exposure and disease. During the Cold War, Troutman Lake was used as a dump site by the U.S. military. We found that PCB concentrations in stickleback exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's guideline for unlimited consumption despite these fish being low trophic level organisms. We examined effects at three levels of biological organization: gene expression, endocrinology, and histomorphology. We found that ninespine stickleback from Troutman Lake exhibited suppressed gonadal development compared to threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) studied elsewhere. Troutman Lake stickleback also displayed two distinct hepatic phenotypes, one with lipid accumulation and one with glycogen-type vacuolation. We compared the transcriptomic profiles of these liver phenotypes using RNA sequencing and found significant upregulation of genes involved in ribosomal and metabolic pathways in the lipid accumulation group. Additionally, stickleback displaying liver lipid accumulation had significantly fewer thyroid follicles than the vacuolated phenotype. Our study and previous work highlight health concerns for people and wildlife due to pollution hotspots in the Arctic, and the need for health-protective remediation.

Effect of Enterohepatic Circulation on the Accumulation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: Evidence from Experimental and Computational Studies

The pharmacokinetic characteristics of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) affect their distribution and bioaccumulation in biological systems. The enterohepatic circulation leads to reabsorption of certain chemicals from bile back into blood and the liver and thus influences their elimination, yet its influence on PFAS bioaccumulation remains unclear. We explored the role of enterohepatic circulation in PFAS bioaccumulation by examining tissue distribution of various PFAS in wild fish and a rat model. Computational models were used to determine the reabsorbed fractions of PFAS by calculating binding affinities of PFAS for key transporter proteins of enterohepatic circulation. The results indicated that higher concentrations were observed in blood, the liver, and bile compared to other tissues for some PFAS in fish. Furthermore, exposure to a PFAS mixture on the rat model showed that the reabsorption phenomenon appeared during 8-12 h for most long-chain PFAS. Molecular docking calculations suggest that PFAS can bind to key transporter proteins via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Further regression analysis adds support to the hypothesis that binding affinity of the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter is the most important variable to predict the human half-lives of PFAS. This study demonstrated the critical role of enterohepatic circulation in reabsorption, distribution, and accumulation of PFAS.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exert strong inhibition towards human carboxylesterases

PFASs are highly persistent in both natural and living environment, and pose a significant risk for wildlife and human beings. The present study was carried out to determine the inhibitory behaviours of fourteen PFASs on metabolic activity of two major isoforms of carboxylesterases (CES). The probe substrates 2-(2-benzoyl-3-methoxyphenyl) benzothiazole (BMBT) for CES1 and fluorescein diacetate (FD) for CES2 were utilized to determine the inhibitory potentials of PFASs on CES in vitro. The results demonstrated that perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA), perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA) and perfluorooctadecanoic acid (PFOcDA) strongly inhibited CES1 and CES2. The half inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) value of PFDoA, PFTA and PFOcDA for CES1 inhibition was 10.6 μM, 13.4 μM and 12.6 μM, respectively. The IC₅₀ for the inhibition of PFDoA, PFTA and PFOcDA towards CES2 were calculated to be 9.56 μM, 17.2 μM and 8.73 μM, respectively. PFDoA, PFTA and PFOcDA exhibited noncompetitive inhibition towards both CES1 and CES2. The inhibition kinetics parameters (K_i) were 27.7 μM, 26.9 μM, 11.9 μM, 4.04 μM, 29.1 μM, 27.4 μM for PFDoA-CES1, PFTA-CES1, PFOcDA-CES1, PFDoA-CES2, PFTA-CES2, PFOcDA-CES2, respectively. In vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) predicted that when the plasma concentrations of PFDoA, PFTA and PFOcDA were greater than 2.77 μM, 2.69 μM and 1.19 μM, respectively, it might interfere with the metabolic reaction catalyzed by CES1 in vivo; when the plasma concentrations of PFDoA, PFTA and PFOcDA were greater than 0.40 μM, 2.91 μM, 2.74 μM, it might interfere with the metabolic reaction catalyzed by CES2 in vivo. Molecular docking was used to explore the interactions between PFASs and CES. In conclusion, PFASs were found to cause inhibitory effects on CES in vitro, and this finding would provide an important experimental basis for further in vivo testing of PFASs focused on CES inhibition endpoints.

Transcriptomic Changes in Liver of Juvenile Cynoglossus semilaevis following Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Exposure

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is an increasingly important environmental pollutant that is pervasive in the environment. A number of studies have focused on the toxicological effects of PFOS on model fish species (zebrafish and medaka), but little is known about the impact of PFOS on commercially important marine fish. Thus, the present study examined transcriptome responses to PFOS exposure in the liver of juvenile Cynoglossus semilaevis, an important farmed flatfish in China. Then, in response to PFOS challenges, 1695 and 5244 genes were identified as significantly increased and depressed, respectively. Significant expression changes were observed in immune-related genes (cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, T-helper [Th]17 cell differentiation, and the chemokine nuclear factor-kappa B and T-cell receptor signaling pathways), indicating that immunotoxicity is a key aspect of the effects of PFOS on C. semilaevis. Exposure to PFOS also altered the gene expression levels of hormones (inhibin, insulin, somatostatin, and glucagon), which could lead to severe metabolic and endocrine dysfunction. As expected from previous studies, several phase I and phase II detoxification enzymes were significantly up-regulated, which could facilitate the biotransformation and detoxification of PFOS in C. semilaevis. The present study provides new insights into the molecular toxicology of PFOS in a commercially important fish species. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:556-564. © 2019 SETAC.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances display structure-dependent inhibition towards UDP-glucuronosyltransferases

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a large group of chemicals and can be detected in environmental and human samples all over the world. Toxicity of existing and emerging PFASs will be a long-term source of concern. This study aimed to investigate structure-dependent inhibitory effects of 14 PFASs towards the activity of 11 UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms. In vitro UGTs-catalyzed glucuronidation of 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU) was employed to determine the inhibition of PFASs towards different UGT isoforms. All the PFASs showed <75% of inhibition or stimulation effects on UGT1A3, UGT1A7, UGT1A9, UGT2B4, UGT2B7 and UGT2B17. However, PFASs showed broad inhibition on the activity of UGT1A1 and UGT1A8. The activity of UGT1A1 was inhibited by 98.8%, 98%, 79.9%, 77.1%, and 76.9% at 100 μmoL/L of perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid potassium salt (PFOS), perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA), respectively. UGT1A8 was inhibited by 97.6%, 94.8%, 86.3%, 83.4% and 77.1% by PFDA, PFTA, perfluorooctadecanoic acid (PFOcDA), PFDoA and PFOS, respectively. Additionally, PFDA significantly inhibited UGT1A6 and UGT1A10 by 96.8% and 91.6%, respectively. PFDoA inhibited the activity of UGT2B15 by 88.2%. PFDA and PFOS exhibited competitive inhibition towards UGT1A1, and PFDA and PFTA showed competitive inhibition towards UGT1A8. The inhibition kinetic parameter (K_i) were 3.15, 1.73, 13.15 and 20.21 μmoL/L for PFDA-1A1, PFOS-1A1, PFDA-1A8 and PFTA-1A8, respectively. The values were calculated to be 0.3 μmoL/L and 1.3 μmoL/L for the in vivo inhibition of PFDA towards UGT1A1-and UGT1A8-catalyzed metabolism of substances, and 0.2 μmoL/L and 2.0 μmoL/L for the inhibition of PFOS towards UGT1A1 and the inhibition of PFTA towards UGT1A8, respectively. Molecular docking indicated that hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions contributed to the interaction between PFASs and UGT isoforms. In conclusion, exposure to PFASs might inhibit the activity of UGTs to disturb metabolism of endogenous compounds and xenobiotics. The structure-related effects of PFASs on UGTs would be very important for risk assessment of PFASs.

The PFOS disturbed immunomodulatory functions via nuclear Factor-κB signaling in liver of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Excessive perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in natural water ecosystem has the potential to detrimentally affect immune system, but little is known of such effects or underlying mechanisms in fish. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of PFOS on growth performance, organizational microstructure, activities of immune-related enzymes and expressions of immune-related genes in male zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to different concentrations of 0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.08 mg/L of PFOS for 7, 14, and 21 days or cotreatment with PFOS and PDTC to investigate the effects of PFOS on immune system and the potential toxic mechanisms caused by PFOS. The results indicated that PFOS accumulated in livers after exposure, and remarkably elevations were found in three exposure groups compared with the control group at three stages. The growth of the adult zebrafish in the experiments was significantly inhibited, the microstructures of liver were serious damaged. The ROS levels were remarkably increased. The activities of ACP, AKP, and lysozyme were obviously decreased, while the activities of MPO and NF-κB were significantly increased. The expressions of immune-related mRNA were significantly affected. After co-treatment with PFOS and PDTC, the growth inhibition, the morphological damage, the ROS induction, and the expressions of immune-related mRNA were reversed. Taken together, the results indicated that PFOS can significantly inhibit the growth, disturb the immune system by changing the normal structure of liver, the activities of immune-related enzymes, and a series of gene transcriptions involved in immune regulation in liver of male zebrafish. PFOS-induced pro-inflammatory effect of hepatocytes was observed, and the involvement of NF-κB signaling pathway was participated in its action mechanism. These findings provide further evidence that PFOS interferes with the immune regulation of liver of male zebrafish under in vivo conditions.

Blood Transcriptomics Analysis of Fish Exposed to Perfluoro Alkyls Substances: Assessment of a Non-Lethal Sampling Technique for Advancing Aquatic Toxicology Research

In contrast to mammals, the blood from other vertebrates such as fish contains nucleated red cells. Using a fathead minnow ( Pimephales promelas) oligonucleotide microarray, we compared altered transcripts in the liver and whole blood after exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and a mixture of seven types of perfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). We used quantitative polymerase chain reactions and cell-based assays to confirm the main effects and found that blood responded with a greater number of altered genes than the liver. The exposure to PFAS altered similar genes with central roles in a cellular pathway in both tissues, including estrogen receptor α and peroxisome proliferator activator β and γ, indicating that the genes previously associated with PFAS exposure are differentially expressed in blood and liver. The altered transcripts are involved with cholesterol metabolism and mitochondrial function. Our data confirmed that PFAS are weak xenoestrogens and exert effects on DNA integrity. Gene expression profiling from blood samples not related with the immune system, including very-low-density lipoprotein, vitellogenin, estrogen receptor, and thyroid hormone receptor, demonstrated that blood is a useful tissue for assessing endocrine disruption in non-mammalian vertebrates. We conclude that the use of blood for non-lethal sampling in genomics studies is informative and particularly useful for assessing the effects of pollution in endangered species. Further, using blood will reduce animal use and widen the experimental design options for studying the effects of contaminant exposure on wildlife.

Multigenerational effect of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) on the individual fitness and population growth of Daphnia magna

We investigated the multigenerational effect of PFOS to individual fitness (e.g., body weight, acetylcholinesterase and glutathione S-transferase) and population growth (e.g., offspring number and time to first brood) of Daphnia magna during continuous and discontinuous exposures. The intrinsic rate of population growth was also calculated. In the continuous exposure, population growth-related adverse effects were detected during all test periods, and the adverse effect tended to be weaker in later generations. On the other hand, individual fitness-related adverse effects were observed from F1 not in F0 and deteriorated as the generation number increased. These results imply that individual fitness worsens although the population growth is restored in later generations. Upon discontinuous exposure, a few but significant adverse effects were observed during the non-exposure period and highest effects were detected during the re-exposure period. This encourages the study of different exposure scenarios, which may result in unexpected and higher PFOS toxicity. Consequently, this study confirms adverse effects of PFOS to Daphnia magna in multigenerational period and supports reasons for studies linking individual fitness changes to population dynamics and covering diverse exposure scenarios to evaluate the risk of PFOS in a water environment.

Xenobiotics Produce Distinct Metabolomic Responses in Zebrafish Larvae (Danio rerio)

Sensitive and quantitative protocols for characterizing low-dose effects are needed to meet the demands of 21st century chemical hazard assessment. To test the hypothesis that xenobiotic exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations produces specific biochemical fingerprints in organisms, metabolomic perturbations in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo/larvae were measured following 24 h exposures to 13 individual chemicals covering a wide range of contaminant classes. Measured metabolites (208 in total) included amino acids, biogenic amines, fatty acids, bile acids, sugars, and lipids. The 96-120 h post-fertilization developmental stage was the most appropriate model for detecting xenobiotic-induced metabolomic perturbations. Metabolomic fingerprints were largely chemical- and dose-specific and were reproducible in multiple exposures over a 16-month period. Furthermore, chemical-specific responses were detected in the presence of an effluent matrix; importantly, in the absence of morphological response. In addition to improving sensitivity for detecting biological responses to low-level xenobiotic exposures, these data can aid the classification of novel contaminants based on the similarity of metabolomic responses to well-characterized "model" compounds. This approach is clearly of use for rapid, sensitive, and specific analyses of chemical effect on organisms, and can supplement existing methods, such as the Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity assay (OECD TG236), with molecular-level information.

Toxicity assessment of perfluorooctane sulfonate using acute and subchronic male C57BL/6J mouse models

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a principal representative and the final degradation product of several commercially produced perfluorinated compounds. However, PFOS has a high bioaccumulation potential and therefore can exert toxicity on aquatic organisms, animals, and cells. Considering the widespread concern this phenomenon has attracted, we examined the acute and subchronic toxic effects of varying doses of PFOS on adult male C57BL/6 mice. The acute oral LD50 value of PFOS in male C57BL/6J mice was 0.579 g/kg body weight (BW). Exposure to the subchronic oral toxicity of PFOS at 2.5, 5, and 10 mg PFOS/kg BW/day for 30 days disrupted the homeostasis of antioxidative systems, induced hepatocellular apoptosis (as revealed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay), triggered liver injury (as evidenced by the increased serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and by the altered histology), and ultimately increased the liver size and relative weight of the mice. PFOS treatment caused liver damage but only slightly affected the kidneys and spleen of the mice. This study provided insights into the toxicological effects of PFOS.

Immunotoxic effects of perfluorooctane sulfonate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on the marine fish Oryzias melastigma

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) have both been reported to induce adverse effects including immunotoxicity. Despite the widespread presence of these two chemicals in estuaries and seawater, their health effects on marine fish have received little attention. Oryzias melastigma is a potential marine fish model for immunological studies. In the present study, immune-related genes in O. melastigma were enriched at the transcriptome level. Three-month-old fish were exposed to PFOS and DEHP (single or combined) for one week. The liver index-hepatosomatic index (HSI) of the fish was higher in the PFOS-exposed group and combined group than in the control group. This result indicates that PFOS might lead to liver toxicity. The mRNA level of interleukin-1 beta (IL1β) was upregulated after exposure. For catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3), single exposure did not affect mRNA levels, but the combined exposure did significantly alter the expression of these genes. In all, our study provides a useful reference for immunotoxicological studies with O. melastigma; it also highlights the importance of assessing the combined effects of pollutant mixtures when determining the risk to aquatic organisms.

A multi-level biological approach to evaluate impacts of a major municipal effluent in wild St. Lawrence River yellow perch (Perca flavescens)

The development of integrated ecotoxicological approaches is of great interest in the investigation of global concerns such as impacts of municipal wastewater effluents on aquatic ecosystems. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a major wastewater municipal effluent on fish using a multi-level biological approach, from gene transcription and enzyme activities to histological changes. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were selected based on their wide distribution, their commercial and recreational importance, and the availability of a customized microarray. Yellow perch were sampled upstream of a major municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and 4 km and 10 km downstream from its point of discharge in the St. Lawrence River (Quebec, Canada). Concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and metals/trace elements in whole body homogenates were comparable to those from other industrialized regions of the world. Genomic results indicated that the transcription level of 177 genes was significantly different (p<0.024) between exposed and non-exposed fish. Among these genes, 38 were found to be differentially transcribed at both downstream sites. Impacted genes were associated with biological processes and molecular functions such as immunity, detoxification, lipid metabolism/energy homeostasis (e.g., peroxisome proliferation), and retinol metabolism suggesting impact of WWTP on these systems. Moreover, antioxidant enzyme activities were more elevated in perch collected at the 4 km site. Biomarkers of lipid metabolism, biosynthetic activity, and aerobic capacities were significantly lower (p<0.05) in fish residing near the outfall of the effluent. Histological examination of the liver indicated no differences between sites. Correlations between PFAS, PBDE, and metal/trace element tissue concentrations and markers of peroxisomal proliferation, oxidative stress, and retinoid metabolism were found at the gene and cellular levels. Present results suggest that relating transcriptomic analyses to phenotypic responses is important to better understand impacts of environmental contamination on wild fish populations.

Induction of oxidative stress and related transcriptional effects of perfluorononanoic acid using an in vivo assessment

Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) is an organic pollutant ubiquitous in the environment. However, the potential toxicity of PFNA remains largely unknown in teleost fish. This study defined the oxidative stress and related transcriptional effects of PFNA at various concentrations on zebrafish larvae. Activities of superoxide dismutase were induced in PFNA-treated groups but attenuated with exposure to higher concentration. Catalase activity and lipid peroxidation were significantly inhibited or increased at the highest concentration, respectively. To test the apoptotic pathway, several genes related to cell apoptosis were examined using real-time PCR. The expression of p53, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and c-Jun NH (2)-terminal kinase (JNK) was partially increased, while Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic gene, was reduced, with no significant effects on Bax and caspase-3 during the exposure period. The effect of PFNA on lipid β-oxidation system was investigated by examining the activity of peroxisome fatty acyl-COA oxidase (ACOX) and the expression of peroxisome proliferating activating receptors (PPARs). ACOX activity was moderately elevated with marginal significance and was not a significant consequence of PPARα and PPARγ expression. The overall results suggest that turbulence of oxidative stress and apoptotic pathway is involved in PFNA-induced toxicity in zebrafish larvae, and the gene expression patterns are able to reveal some potential mechanisms of developmental toxicity.

An in-vitro investigation of the effect of perfluorooctane sulphonate on cell lines of embryonic origin

Fluorinated organic compounds, such as perfluorooctane sulfonate, are stable chemicals with a wide range of industrial applications. The potential toxicity of perfluorooctane sulfonate is not well characterized, and even less known are the mechanisms underlying its toxic effects. Perfluorooctane sulfonate change of inner mitochondrial membrane permeability has been implicated as a potential mechanism of toxicity. In this study, we research that perfluorooctane sulfonate effects the expression of Apaf1 and Caspase3 genes in the amnion and fetal lung cell line that initiate the cells to undergo apoptosis. The expression of Caspase3 and Apaf1 was determined by using quantitative RT-PCR. In the study there is significant increase in expression of Caspase3 and Apaf1 in amnion and fetal lung cell line exposed to high dose (p < 0.001, p = 0.004). Also there is significant increase in cell lines exposed for a long period of time to perfluorooctane sulfonate (p = 0.001). But no significant increase was seen in the low doses and exposed for a short period of time. In conclusion, apoptotic gene expression is increase in cells exposed perfluorooctane sulfonate by dose dependent manner was determined. So this work is the first study examines the apoptotic effects of perfluorooctane sulfonate in human embryonic cells it will lead the way to the other topical studies.

Flos lonicerae extracts and chlorogenic acid protect human umbilical vein endothelial cells from the toxic damage of perfluorooctane sulphonate

Chlorogenic acid (CGA), one of the most common phenolic acids, is found in many food and traditional Chinese herbs. Various bioactivities of CGA are studied. However, little is known about these properties of Flos Lonicerae extracts, and the difference in the effect between Flos Lonicerae extracts and CGA has not been reported. CGA was identified in Flos Lonicerae extracts by HPLC and determined qualitatively by quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Flos Lonicerae extracts and CGA on inflammatory-related gene expression, adhesion molecule expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The suppression of transcription of IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and P-Selectin genes with Flos Lonicerae extracts was greater than that of CGA in PFOS-treated HUVECs, while the degree of suppression on PFOS-induced expression of NOS3 and ICAM-1 was greater for CGA. Furthermore, the suppressive effect of Flos Lonicerae extracts on adhesion of monocytes onto PFOS-induced HUVECs was greater than that of CGA. In addition, Flos Lonicerae extracts and CGA were highly effective in reducing ROS although their effects were almost comparable. So, Flos Lonicerae extracts exhibited antioxidant activity and CGA was a major contributor to this activity. These results suggest that Flos Lonicerae extracts could be useful to prevent PFOS-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Arginine supplementation and exposure time affects polyamine and glucose metabolism in primary liver cells isolated from Atlantic salmon

Arginine has been demonstrated to enhance glucose and lipid oxidation in mammals through activation of polyamine turnover. We aimed to investigate how arginine affects energy utilization through polyamine metabolism and whether this effect is time dependent. Primary liver cells were isolated from Atlantic salmon (2.2 kg body weight) fed diets containing 25.5 (low arginine, LA) or 36.1 (high arginine, HA) g arginine/kg dry matter for 12 weeks, to investigate the effect of long-term arginine supplementation. The cells were cultured for 24 h in L-15 medium to which either alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) or N (1),N (11)-diethylnorspermine (DENSPM) was added. Analysis of the medium by nuclear magnetic resonance revealed significant differences between the two dietary groups as well as between cells exposed to DFMO and DENSPM, with decreased glucose, fumarate and lactate concentrations in media of the HA cells. Liver cells from fish fed the HA diet had higher spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase protein abundance and lower adenosine triphosphate concentration as compared to the LA-fed fish, while gene expression was not affected by either diet or treatment. Primary liver cells isolated from salmon fed a commercial diet and cultured in L-15 media with or without arginine supplementation (1.82 or 3.63 mM) for 48 h, representing short-term effect of arginine supplementation, showed differential expression of genes for apoptosis and polyamine synthesis due to arginine supplementation or inhibition by DFMO. Overall, arginine concentration and exposure time affected energy metabolism and gene regulation more than inhibition or activation of key enzymes of polyamine metabolism, suggesting a polyamine-independent influence of arginine on cellular energy metabolism and survival.

Alterations in differentially expressed genes after repeated exposure to perfluorooctanoate and perfluorooctanesulfonate in liver of Oryzias latipes

Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) are considered biologically toxic due to their persistence in the environment. The effects of repeated exposure to these compounds on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were investigated in liver of the medaka, Oryzias latipes. In this study, seven genes-except for cytochrome P450 3A (CYP450 3A)-were identified as DEGs that were downregulated in response to 15- and 30 days exposures to PFOA and/or PFOS. Four DEGs (c-type lysozyme, EF-1β, complement component C3-1, and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1) returned to basal levels after 15 days of recovery after 30 days of exposure to the compounds. In contrast, three DEGs (transferrin, alcohol dehydrogenase class VI, and CYP450 3A) were still upregulated by PFOS after 15 days of recovery. In addition, the effect of PFOS showed more accumulation after 15 days of recovery than PFOA. These data suggest that PFOS accumulates more in tissue than PFOA and causes high cellular toxicity by way of suppression of the genes encoding transferrin and alcohol dehydrogenase class VI, whereas there is upregulation of cytochrome P450 3A.

Proteomic responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) after perfluorooctane sulfonate exposure

Since the 1980s, the stocks of European eel have been declining in most of their geographical distribution area. Many factors can be attributed to this decline such as pollution by xenobiotics like perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). This study aimed at evaluating the in vitro toxicity of eel peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) exposed to PFOS. Exposure time and two concentrations were chosen to avoid cell mortality (48 h exposure at 10 μg PFOS/L and 1mg PFOS/L). After in vitro contaminations, the post-nuclear fraction was isolated and a proteomic analysis using 2D-DIGE was performed to compare PBMC from the control group with cells exposed to the pollutant. On the 158 spots that were significantly affected by PFOS exposure, a total of 48 different proteins were identified using nano-LCESI-MS/MS and the Peptide and Protein Prophet of Scaffold software. These proteins can be categorized into diverse functional classes, related to cytoskeleton, protein folding, cell signaling, proteolytic pathway and carbohydrate and energy metabolism, which provide clues on the cellular pathways mainly affected by PFOS. Some of the identified proteins are rarely found in other ecotoxicological proteomic studies and could constitute potential biomarkers of exposure to PFOS in fish.

Induction of apoptosis in testis of the marine teleost mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus after in vivo exposure to the antifouling biocide 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-3(2H)-isothiazolone (Sea-Nine 211)

4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-3(2H)-isothiazolone (Sea-Nine 211) has been widely used as an effective antifouling biocide. However, little is known about its reproductive toxicity in fish. Here we investigated testicular toxicity in a marine teleost, the mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus, after exposure to Sea-Nine 211 for 28 d. Although Sea-Nine 211 exposure did not affect germ cell proliferation in testis, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick-end labeling revealed that the number of apoptotic spermatocytes was increased in the 1.0- and 3.0-μg L(-1) groups, and significant differences emerged between the 1.0-μg L(-1) group and control groups. Immunohistochemistry showed that the numbers of cysts expressing caspases 2, 3, 6, and 8 (apoptosis-associated proteins) were significantly increased in the 1.0-μg L(-1) group, whereas the signal intensity of an anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL was reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the number of cysts positive for neuronal nitric oxide synthase was twofold higher in the 1.0-μg L(-1) group than in the control groups. These results suggest that long-term exposure to Sea-Nine 211 induces apoptosis in the testicular germ cells of mummichogs via a caspase-dependent pathway and that oxidative stress via nitric oxide synthesized by neuronal nitric oxide synthase is involved in this induction.

PFOS induced precocious hatching of Oryzias melastigma--from molecular level to individual level

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) showed a risk of causing adverse effects including hatching of animals. However, there are no systematical studies about the effects of PFOS on fish embryo hatching. In this study, a precocious hatching was detected in Oryzias melastigma embryos upon PFOS exposure. The average hatching time was shortened and the hatching rate increased after PFOS exposure. The subsequent survival rate decreased significantly in the larvae hatching from the PFOS-treated embryos compared to the control. The influence occurred in a PFOS concentration-dependent manner. To further elucidate the inner molecular change, full length cDNAs of hatching enzymes HCE and LCE were first cloned in O. melastigma by degenerate RT-PCR and RACE. PFOS elicited a transcriptional response of both HCE and LCE. The expressions of both genes were significantly up-regulated earlier in the PFOS-treated group than in the control group. The activity of hatching enzyme also significantly increased upon exposure. In all, our results showed that exposure to PFOS could induce the hatching enzyme both at transcriptional and enzymatic activity level and further lead to the precocious hatching of O. melastigma embryos, which induced the decrease of the subsequent larvae survival.

Acute and sub-lethal effects in juvenile Atlantic salmon exposed to low μg/L concentrations of Ag nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP) are components in numerous commercial products and are discharged into the environment in quantities that are largely unknown. In the present study, juvenile Atlantic salmon were exposed to 1, 20, and 100 μg/L (48 h, static renewal) of a commercially available Ag-NP colloidal suspension in natural (soft) lake water. A solution of AgNO(3) containing 20 μg/L Ag(I) ions was also included to discriminate the effect of NPs from that of ionic silver. Furthermore, the commercial Ag-NP suspension was compared to an in-house synthesised colloidal NP suspension prepared from AgNO(3) and NaBH(4) in citrate buffer. The size distribution of Ag in all exposure solutions was characterised by 0.22 μm filtration and 10 kDa hollow fibre cross-flow ultrafiltration in combination with ICP-MS. All exposures were characterised by a relatively high proportion of Ag-NP in the colloidal size fraction 3-220 nm. For assessment of biological effects, acute toxicity, gill histopathology, blood plasma parameters (Na, Cl, glucose, haemoglobin), and gene expression of a selection of gill biomarkers were measured. Results showed that the gills accumulated Ag in all exposure groups apart from the fish exposed to 1 μg/L Ag-NP. Accumulated Ag caused concentration-dependent response increases in general stress markers such as plasma glucose and gill gene expression of heat shock protein 70. Furthermore, induction of the metallothionein A gene indicated that Ag had been internalized in the gills, whereas a concentration-dependant inhibition of Na/K ATPase expression indicated impaired osmoregulation at as low as 20 μg/L concentrations of Ag-NP. The commercial Ag-NP suspension caused acute gill lamellae necrosis at high concentrations (100 μg/L), potentially giving rise to the substantial (73%) fish mortality at this concentration. The two different Ag-NP preparations gave comparable results for several endpoints measured, but differed in MT-A induction and mortality, thus emphasising the variation in effects that may arise from different Ag-NP preparations.

PFOS elicits transcriptional responses of the ER, AHR and PPAR pathways in Oryzias melastigma in a stage-specific manner

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is widely distributed in seawater. However, the effects of PFOS on important receptors involved in the toxicity of POPs have not been fully defined, especially for the embryonic stages of marine fish. In this study, we examined the transcriptional responses and PFOS accumulation in the marine medaka embryos at the early and late developmental stages of 4 and 10 dpf upon PFOS exposure (1, 4, and 16mg/L). PFOS accumulated in the embryos, and the embryonic burdens of PFOS at 10 dpf were markedly higher than those at 4 dpf. Moreover, thirteen genes involved in three important POPs-related receptor pathways, including ER, AHR and PPAR, were cloned and investigated. The mRNA expression levels of ERα and ERγ were not significantly altered, but the estrogenic marker genes were downregulated upon PFOS exposure at 4 dpf. Conversely, ERs and related marker genes all were significantly upregulated at 10 dpf. The expressions of ARNT and cyp1a were both upregulated at 4 dpf, while no obvious changes were detected at 10 dpf. The expressions of cyp19a and cyp19b were regulated by PFOS in a stage-specific manner. PFOS produced different effects on three isoforms of PPAR. PPARα and PPARβ were first inhibited at 4 dpf and were induced at 10 dpf. PFOS did not elicit a change in PPARγ expression at either stage. In conclusion, this study showed that PFOS has an estrogenic activity and endocrine-disruptive properties. Meanwhile, PFOS could elicit transcriptional responses on POPs-related pathways in a stage-specific manner.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate impairs the cardiac development of a marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent organic contaminant and has been widely detected in the sea water. However, toxic effects of PFOS on cardiac development in marine organisms have not been reported. In the present study, we investigated the toxicity of PFOS on the cardiac development using Oryzias melastigma embryos. The embryos at 2 days post-fertilization (dpf) were continuous exposed to PFOS (1, 4 and 16 mg/L) for various periods, cardiac function and morphology were examined at different developmental stages. The results showed that exposure to 4 and 16 mg/L PFOS resulted in enlarged the sinus venosus (SV)-bulbus arteriosus (BA) distance and altered the heart rate. We further investigated eight heart-development related genes to test the effects of PFOS on molecular level. Seven genes were first cloned in O. melastigma and their temporal expression patterns were assayed. Most of the genes were highly expressed in the 6dpf, which is the critical stage for heart development. Their expression levels upon PFOS exposure were studied. The expressions of GATA4 and NKX2.5 were significantly down-regulated while COX-2, FGF8 and ATPase were significantly up-regulated at 6dpf. Our results showed for the first time that PFOS exposure affected the expression of cardiac development-related genes, development and function of heart in the marine medaka.

Tissue bioaccumulation patterns, xenobiotic biotransformation and steroid hormone levels in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fed a diet containing perfluoroactane sulfonic or perfluorooctane carboxylic acids

In the present study, groups of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were fed gelatine capsules containing fish-food spiked with PFOA or PFOS (0.2 mg kg(-1) fish) and solvent (methanol). The capsules were given at days 0, 3 and 6. Blood, liver and whole kidney samples were collected prior to exposure (no solvent control), and at days 2, 5, 8 and 14 after exposure (Note: that day 14 after exposure is equal to 7d recovery period). We report on the differences in the tissue bioaccumulation patterns of PFOS and PFOA, in addition to tissue and compound differences in modulation pattern of biotransformation enzyme genes. We observed that the level of PFOS and PFOA increased in the blood, liver and kidney during the exposure period. Different PFOS and PFOA bioaccumulation patterns were observed in the kidney and liver during exposure- and after the recovery periods. Particularly, after the recovery period, PFOA levels in the kidney and liver tissues were almost at the control level. On the contrary, PFOS maintained an increase with tissue-specific differences, showing a higher bioaccumulation potential (also in the blood), compared with PFOA. While PFOS and PFOA produced an apparent time-dependent increase in kidney CYP3A, CYP1A1 and GST expression, similar effects were only temporary in the liver, significantly increasing at sampling day 2. PFOA and PFOS exposure resulted in significant decreases in plasma estrone, testosterone and cortisol levels at sampling day 2, and their effects differed with 17α-methyltestostrerone showing significant decrease by PFOA (also for cholesterol) and increase by PFOS. PFOA significantly increased estrone and testosterone, and no effects were observed for cortisol, 17α-methyltestosterone and cholesterol at sampling day 5. Overall, the changes in plasma steroid hormone levels parallel changes in CYP3A mRNA levels. Given that there are no known studies that have demonstrated such tissue differences in bioaccumulation patterns with associated differences in toxicological responses in any fish species or lower vertebrate, the present findings provide some potential insights and basis for a better understanding of the possible mechanisms of PFCs toxicity that need to be studied in more detail.

Ecotoxicoproteomics in gills of the sentinel fish species, Cottus gobio, exposed to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

The environmental persistence, bioaccumulative tendency and potential toxicity of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have generated great concern. This study aimed at evaluating the toxicity of short-term PFOS exposure in gills of the European bullhead Cottus gobio, a candidate sentinel species, by monitoring the response of some enzymes (citrate synthase CS, cytochrome c oxidase CCO, and lactate dehydrogenase LDH), and by undertaking a proteomic analysis using 2D-DIGE. First, a 96-h exposure to 1mg PFOS/L significantly altered the activity of mitochondrial CS and CCO. Second, 2D-DIGE gels were used to compare gills from the control fish group with tissues from fish exposed for 96h to either 0.1 or 1mg PFOS/L. From the 27 protein spots displaying significant changes in abundance following PFOS exposure, a total of 20 different proteins were identified using nano LC-MS/MS and the Peptide and Protein Prophet of Scaffold software. The differentially expressed proteins that were identified are involved in the general stress response, ubiquitin-proteasome system, energy metabolism, and actin cytoskeleton, which provide clues on the cellular pathways and components mainly affected by PFOS. Moreover, our results showed that most proteins were differentially expressed at the low but not at the high PFOS concentration. This work provides insights into the biochemical and molecular events in PFOS-induced toxicity in gill tissue, and suggests that further studies on the identified proteins could provide crucial information to better understand the mechanisms of PFOS toxicity in fish.

Effect of perfluorooctanesulfonate on osmoregulation in marine fish, Sebastes schlegeli, under different salinities

Effect of potassium salt of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) on the osmoregulation of marine teleost (blackrock fish), Sebastes schlegeli, was investigated under varying salinities, by monitoring serum osmolality, Na(+), K(+), Cl(-), Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) concentrations in serum, serum glucose, and gill Na(+)-K(+) ATPase (NKA) activity. The fish was acclimatized to four salinity levels (10, 17.5, 25, and 34 psu) for 2 weeks before a 6-d exposure to 100 or 1000 microg L(-1) of PFOS. Six fish from each exposure group were sampled at 24, 48, and 144 h after exposures, and serum, liver and gills were collected for analysis. NKA activity decreased by 34% and 31% relative to control at salinity levels of 25 and 34 psu, respectively, following exposure to 1000 microg L(-1) PFOS. PFOS did not affect serum osmolality, Na(+), Cl(-), Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) concentrations; however, serum K(+) concentration increased during initial exposure period and then decreased after 144 h. Serum glucose levels decreased with increasing PFOS concentrations, implying high energy demand in response to exposure. Overall, PFOS exposure impaired NKA activity, altered potassium ion concentrations in serum, and reduced serum glucose levels while no other effects on serum concentrations of ionic salts were observed.

Endosulfan in vitro toxicity in Atlantic salmon hepatocytes obtained from fish fed either fish oil or vegetable oil

The composition of the feed may alter the cellular composition of an organism and thus has the potential to influence a xenobiotic response. The main aim of this study was to see if the fatty acid composition of primary hepatocytes isolated from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) obtained from fish fed either a fish oil or a vegetable oil based diet, influenced the response to endosulfan exposure in vitro. The primary cultures were exposed to six different concentrations of endosulfan (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 microM) for 48 h. Cell morphology as well as a molecular toolbox of 16 genes encoding stress responsive and biotransformation proteins was examined. Endosulfan exposure caused moderate cytotoxicity and steatosis in a dose-dependent manner in the hepatocytes. In general, endosulfan hepatoxicity seems to be unaffected by the fatty acid composition of the hepatocytes. Exceptions were general stress (HSP70) and markers for estrogen exposure (ZP and VTG), which appeared to be slightly less responsive in hepatocytes isolated from the vegetable oil fed fish.

Perfluorononanoic acid-induced apoptosis in rat spleen involves oxidative stress and the activation of caspase-independent death pathway

Perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA)-induced apoptosis has been reported in many cell types. However, minimal information on its mode of action is available. This study explored the possible involvement of apoptotic signaling pathways in a nine-carbon-chain length PFAA-perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)-induced splenocyte apoptosis. After a 14-day exposure to PFNA, rat spleens showed dose-dependent levels of apoptosis. The production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines was significantly increased and decreased, respectively. However, protein levels of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1), fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD), caspase 8 and caspase 3, which are involved in inflammation-related and caspase-dependent apoptosis, were discordant. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha (PPARalpha) and PPARgamma genes expression was up-regulated in rats treated with 3 or 5 mg/kg/day of PFNA, and the level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) increased concurrently in rats treated with the highest dose. Moreover, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and Bcl-2 protein levels were dramatically decreased in spleens after treatment with 3 and 5 mg/kg/day of PFNA. However, protein levels of Bax were unchanged. Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), an initiator of caspase-independent apoptosis, was significantly increased in all PFNA-dosed rats. Thus, oxidative stress and the activation of a caspase-independent apoptotic signaling pathway contributed to PFNA-induced apoptosis in rat splenocytes.