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O'Shaughnessy KL, Bell KS, Sasser AL, Gilbert ME, Riutta C, Ford JL, McCord J, Wood CR. The pollutant perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) reduces serum thyroxine but does not alter thyroid action in the postnatal rat brain. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 190:108838. [PMID: 38963985 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Known as "forever chemicals", per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic compounds used in consumer goods but pose significant public health concerns, including disruption of the thyroid system. As thyroid hormones (THs) are required for normal brain development, PFAS may also be developmental neurotoxicants. However, this is not well understood. Here we examine the endocrine and neurodevelopmental consequences of perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) exposure in pregnant, lactating, and developing rats, and compare its effects to an anti-thyroid pharmaceutical (propylthiouracil, PTU) that induces thyroid-mediated developmental neurotoxicity. We show that PFHxS dramatically reduces maternal serum thyroxine (T4), nearly equivalently to PTU (-55 and -51%, respectively). However, only PTU increases thyroid stimulating hormone. The lactational transfer of PFHxS is significant and reduces pup serum T4 across the postnatal period. Surprisingly, brain THs are only minimally decreased by PFHxS, whereas PTU drastically diminishes them. Evaluation of brain TH action by phenotyping, RNA-Sequencing, and quantification of radial glia cell morphology supports that PTU interrupts TH signaling while PFHxS has limited to no effect. These data show that PFHxS induces abnormal serum TH profiles; however, there were no indications of hypothyroidism in the postnatal brain. We suggest the stark differences between the neurodevelopmental effects of PFHxS and a typical antithyroid agent may be due to its interaction with TH distributing proteins like transthyretin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L O'Shaughnessy
- Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
| | - Kiersten S Bell
- Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge 37831, TN, USA
| | - Aubrey L Sasser
- Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge 37831, TN, USA
| | - Mary E Gilbert
- Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Cal Riutta
- Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge 37831, TN, USA
| | - Jermaine L Ford
- Chemical Characterization and Exposure Division, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - James McCord
- Watershed and Ecosystem Characterization Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, United States Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Carmen R Wood
- Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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2
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Leuthner TC, Zhang S, Kohrn BF, Stapleton HM, Baugh LR. Structure-specific variation in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances toxicity among genetically diverse Caenorhabditis elegans strains. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.29.596269. [PMID: 38854041 PMCID: PMC11160736 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.29.596269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Background There are >14,500 structurally diverse per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Despite knowledge that these "forever chemicals" are in 99% of humans, mechanisms of toxicity and adverse health effects are incompletely known. Furthermore, the contribution of genetic variation to PFAS susceptibility and health consequences is unknown. Objectives We determined the toxicity of a structurally distinct set of PFAS in twelve genetically diverse strains of the genetic model system Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods Dose-response curves for four perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFNA, PFOA, PFPeA, and PFBA), two perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFOS and PFBS), two perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides (PFOSA and PFBSA), two fluoroether carboxylic acids (GenX and PFMOAA), one fluoroether sulfonic acid (PFEESA), and two fluorotelomers (6:2 FCA and 6:2 FTS) were determined in the C. elegans laboratory reference strain, N2, and eleven genetically diverse wild strains. Body length was quantified by image analysis at each dose after 48 hr of developmental exposure of L1 arrest-synchronized larvae to estimate effective concentration values (EC50). Results There was a significant range in toxicity among PFAS: PFOSA > PFBSA ≈ PFOS ≈ PFNA > PFOA > GenX ≈ PFEESA > PFBS ≈ PFPeA ≈ PFBA. Long-chain PFAS had greater toxicity than short-chain, and fluorosulfonamides were more toxic than carboxylic and sulfonic acids. Genetic variation explained variation in susceptibility to PFBSA, PFOS, PFBA, PFOA, GenX, PFEESA, PFPeA, and PFBA. There was significant variation in toxicity among C. elegans strains due to chain length, functional group, and between legacy and emerging PFAS. Conclusion C. elegans respond to legacy and emerging PFAS of diverse structures, and this depends on specific structures and genetic variation. Harnessing the natural genetic diversity of C. elegans and the structural complexity of PFAS is a powerful New Approach Methodology (NAM) to investigate structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of toxicity which may inform regulation of other PFAS to improve human and environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess C. Leuthner
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sharon Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brendan F Kohrn
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Heather M. Stapleton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - L. Ryan Baugh
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
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3
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Robarts DR, Paine-Cabrera D, Kotulkar M, Venneman KK, Gunewardena S, Foquet L, Bial G, Apte U. Identifying novel mechanisms of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance-induced hepatotoxicity using FRG humanized mice. Arch Toxicol 2024:10.1007/s00204-024-03789-0. [PMID: 38782768 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03789-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluoro-2-methyl-3-oxahexanoic acid (GenX), the new replacement PFAS, are major environmental contaminants. In rodents, these PFAS induce several adverse effects on the liver, including increased proliferation, hepatomegaly, steatosis, hypercholesterolemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and liver cancers. Activation of peroxisome proliferator receptor alpha by PFAS is considered the primary mechanism of action in rodent hepatocyte-induced proliferation. However, the human relevance of this mechanism is uncertain. We investigated human-relevant mechanisms of PFAS-induced adverse hepatic effects using FRG liver-chimeric humanized mice with livers repopulated with functional human hepatocytes. Male FRG humanized mice were treated with 0.067 mg/L of PFOA, 0.145 mg/L of PFOS, or 1 mg/L of GenX in drinking water for 28 days. PFOS caused a significant decrease in total serum cholesterol and LDL/VLDL, whereas GenX caused a significant elevation in LDL/VLDL with no change in total cholesterol and HDL. All three PFAS induced significant hepatocyte proliferation. RNA-sequencing with alignment to the human genome showed a total of 240, 162, and 619 differentially expressed genes after PFOA, PFOS, and GenX exposure, respectively. Upstream regulator analysis revealed that all three PFAS induced activation of p53 and inhibition of androgen receptor and NR1D1, a transcriptional repressor important in circadian rhythm. Further biochemical studies confirmed NR1D1 inhibition and in silico modeling indicated potential interaction of all three PFAS with the DNA-binding domain of NR1D1. In conclusion, our studies using FRG humanized mice have revealed new human-relevant molecular mechanisms of PFAS including their previously unknown effect on circadian rhythm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota R Robarts
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., MS1018, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Diego Paine-Cabrera
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., MS1018, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Manasi Kotulkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., MS1018, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Kaitlyn K Venneman
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., MS1018, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Sumedha Gunewardena
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | | | - Greg Bial
- Yecuris Corporation, Tualatin, OR, USA
| | - Udayan Apte
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., MS1018, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
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Luo YS, Ying RY, Chen XT, Yeh YJ, Wei CC, Chan CC. Integrating high-throughput phenotypic profiling and transcriptomic analyses to predict the hepatosteatosis effects induced by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 469:133891. [PMID: 38457971 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133891] [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: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a large compound class (n > 12,000) that is extensively present in food, drinking water, and aquatic environments. Reduced serum triglycerides and hepatosteatosis appear to be the common phenotypes for different PFAS chemicals. However, the hepatosteatosis potential of most PFAS chemicals remains largely unknown. This study aims to investigate PFAS-induced hepatosteatosis using in vitro high-throughput phenotype profiling (HTPP) and high-throughput transcriptomic (HTTr) data. We quantified the in vitro hepatosteatosis effects and mitochondrial damage using high-content imaging, curated the transcriptomic data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and then calculated the point of departure (POD) values for HTPP phenotypes or HTTr transcripts, using the Bayesian benchmark dose modeling approach. Our results indicated that PFAS compounds with fully saturated C-F bonds, sulfur- and nitrogen-containing functional groups, and a fluorinated carbon chain length greater than 8 have the potential to produce biological effects consistent with hepatosteatosis. PFAS primarily induced hepatosteatosis via disturbance in lipid transport and storage. The potency rankings of PFAS compounds are highly concordant among in vitro HTPP, HTTr, and in vivo hepatosteatosis phenotypes (ρ = 0.60-0.73). In conclusion, integrating the information from in vitro HTPP and HTTr analyses can accurately project in vivo hepatosteatosis effects induced by PFAS compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Syuan Luo
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan; Master of Public Health Program, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan.
| | - Ren-Yan Ying
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Xsuan-Ting Chen
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Jia Yeh
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Cheng Wei
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Chuan Chan
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
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5
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Liu Z, Jin B, Rao D, Bentel MJ, Liu T, Gao J, Men Y, Liu J. Oxidative Transformation of Nafion-Related Fluorinated Ether Sulfonates: Comparison with Legacy PFAS Structures and Opportunities of Acidic Persulfate Digestion for PFAS Precursor Analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6415-6424. [PMID: 38528735 PMCID: PMC11008247 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06289] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay has been extensively used for detecting PFAS pollutants that do not have analytical standards. It uses hydroxyl radicals (HO•) from the heat activation of persulfate under alkaline pH to convert H-containing precursors to perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) for target analysis. However, the current TOP assay oxidation method does not apply to emerging PFAS because (i) many structures do not contain C-H bonds for HO• attack and (ii) the transformation products are not necessarily PFCAs. In this study, we explored the use of classic acidic persulfate digestion, which generates sulfate radicals (SO4-•), to extend the capability of the TOP assay. We examined the oxidation of Nafion-related ether sulfonates that contain C-H or -COO-, characterized the oxidation products, and quantified the F atom balance. The SO4-• oxidation greatly expanded the scope of oxidizable precursors. The transformation was initiated by decarboxylation, followed by various spontaneous steps, such as HF elimination and ester hydrolysis. We further compared the oxidation of legacy fluorotelomers using SO4-• versus HO•. The results suggest novel product distribution patterns, depending on the functional group and oxidant dose. The general trends and strategies were also validated by analyzing a mixture of 100000- or 10000-fold diluted aqueous film-forming foam (containing various fluorotelomer surfactants and organics) and a spiked Nafion precursor. Therefore, (1) the combined use of SO4-• and HO• oxidation, (2) the expanded list of standard chemicals, and (3) further elucidation of SO4-• oxidation mechanisms will provide more critical information to probe emerging PFAS pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekun Liu
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
- Claros
Technologies Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413, United States
| | - Bosen Jin
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Dandan Rao
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Michael J. Bentel
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Tianchi Liu
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Jinyu Gao
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Yujie Men
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Jinyong Liu
- Department
of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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6
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Kirkwood-Donelson KI, Chappel J, Tobin E, Dodds JN, Reif DM, DeWitt JC, Baker ES. Investigating mouse hepatic lipidome dysregulation following exposure to emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 354:141654. [PMID: 38462188 PMCID: PMC10995748 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141654] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental pollutants that have been associated with adverse health effects including liver damage, decreased vaccine responses, cancer, developmental toxicity, thyroid dysfunction, and elevated cholesterol. The specific molecular mechanisms impacted by PFAS exposure to cause these health effects remain poorly understood, however there is some evidence of lipid dysregulation. Thus, lipidomic studies that go beyond clinical triglyceride and cholesterol tests are greatly needed to investigate these perturbations. Here, we have utilized a platform coupling liquid chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry, and mass spectrometry (LC-IMS-MS) separations to simultaneously evaluate PFAS bioaccumulation and lipid metabolism disruptions. For the study, liver samples collected from C57BL/6 mice exposed to either of the emerging PFAS hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA or "GenX") or Nafion byproduct 2 (NBP2) were assessed. Sex-specific differences in PFAS accumulation and liver size were observed for both PFAS, in addition to disturbed hepatic liver lipidomic profiles. Interestingly, GenX resulted in less hepatic bioaccumulation than NBP2 yet gave a higher number of significantly altered lipids when compared to the control group, implying that the accumulation of substances in the liver may not be a reliable measure of the substance's capacity to disrupt the liver's natural metabolic processes. Specifically, phosphatidylglycerols, phosphatidylinositols, and various specific fatty acyls were greatly impacted, indicating alteration of inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular signaling processes due to emerging PFAS exposure. Overall, these results provide valuable insight into the liver bioaccumulation and molecular mechanisms of GenX- and NBP2-induced hepatotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylie I Kirkwood-Donelson
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Jessie Chappel
- Bioinformatics Research Center, Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Emma Tobin
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - James N Dodds
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - David M Reif
- Predictive Toxicology Branch, Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Jamie C DeWitt
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Erin S Baker
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
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7
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Conley JM, Lambright CS, Evans N, Bangma J, Ford J, Hill D, Medlock-Kakaley E, Gray LE. Maternal and Neonatal Effects of Maternal Oral Exposure to Perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic Acid (PFMOAA) during Pregnancy and Early Lactation in the Sprague-Dawley Rat. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:1064-1075. [PMID: 38163761 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c08559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA) is a short-chain perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acid that has been detected at high concentrations (∼10 μg/L) in drinking water in eastern North Carolina, USA, and in human serum and breastmilk in China. Despite documented human exposure there are almost no toxicity data available to inform risk assessment of PFMOAA. Here we exposed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to a range of PFMOAA doses (10-450 mg/kg/d) via oral gavage from gestation day (GD) 8 to postnatal day (PND) 2 and compared results to those we previously reported for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA or GenX). Newborn pups displayed reduced birthweight (≥30 mg/kg), depleted liver glycogen concentrations (all doses), hypoglycemia (≥125 mg/kg), and numerous significantly altered genes in the liver associated with fatty acid and glucose metabolism similar to gene changes produced by HFPO-DA. Pup survival was significantly reduced at ≥125 mg/kg, and at necropsy on PND2 both maternal and neonatal animals displayed increased liver weights, increased serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and reduced serum thyroid hormones at all doses (≥10 mg/kg). Pups also displayed highly elevated serum cholesterol at all doses. PFMOAA concentrations in serum and liver increased with maternal oral dose in both maternal and F1 animals and were similar to those we reported for PFOA but considerably higher than HFPO-DA. We calculated 10% effect levels (ED10 or EC10) and relative potency factors (RPF; PFOA = index chemical) among the three compounds based on maternal oral dose and maternal serum concentration (μM). Reduced pup liver glycogen, increased liver weights and reduced thyroid hormone levels (maternal and pup) were the most sensitive end points modeled. PFMOAA was ∼3-7-fold less potent than PFOA for most end points based on maternal serum RPFs, but slightly more potent for increased maternal and pup liver weights. PFMOAA is a maternal and developmental toxicant in the rat producing a constellation of adverse effects similar to PFOA and HFPO-DA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Conley
- Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 United States
| | - Christy S Lambright
- Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 United States
| | - Nicola Evans
- Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 United States
| | - Jacqueline Bangma
- Office of Research & Development/Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Jermaine Ford
- Office of Research & Development/Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 United States
| | - Donna Hill
- Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 United States
| | - Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley
- Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 United States
| | - L Earl Gray
- Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 United States
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Lv D, Liu H, An Q, Lei C, Wang Y, Sun J, Li C, Lin Y, Dong Q, Yang Z, Che K, Liu W, Han W. Association of adverse fetal outcomes with placental inflammation after oral gestational exposure to hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX) in Sprague-Dawley rats. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 461:132536. [PMID: 37717439 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), known as "GenX" for its trade name, is gradually taking the place of Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). However, there is a poor understanding of the developmental effects of GenX. This study aims to explore whether GenX produces adverse effects on offspring development in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and the underlying mechanisms. Pregnant rats were orally administered with GenX (0, 1, 10 and 100 mg/kg/day) from gestational 0.5-19.5 days. Experimental data showed that the exposure to GenX resulted in increased rats' gestational weight gain, whereas both body weight and body length of their fetuses born naturally were significantly reduced. This could contribute to the developmental delays of fetal body weight, body length and tail length from postnatal 1-21 days. Histopathological evaluation of placenta indicated that GenX exposure led to neutrophil infiltration in decidual zone and congestion in labyrinth zone. Moreover, placental proteomics showed changes at the expression levels of the inflammation-related proteins in the Rap1 signaling pathway. In conclusion, gestational exposure to GenX induced fetal intrauterine and extrauterine development retardation in SD rats. Placental inflammation may play a key role in this process through the Rap1 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Lv
- Pediatrics Department, Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Municipal Hospital), Qingdao 266071, China; Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Hongyun Liu
- Pathology Department, Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Municipal Hospital), Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Qi An
- Child Healthcare Department, Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Chengwei Lei
- Pediatrics Department, Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Municipal Hospital), Qingdao 266071, China; Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yanxuan Wang
- Pediatrics Department, Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Municipal Hospital), Qingdao 266071, China; Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Jin Sun
- Department of Developmental Pediatrics and Child Health Care, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Chuanhai Li
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yongfeng Lin
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Qing Dong
- Pediatrics Department, The Affiliated Taian City Central Hospital of Qingdao University, Taian 271000, China
| | - Zhugen Yang
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Kui Che
- Key Laboratory of Thyroid Diseases, Medical Research Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Wendong Liu
- Pediatrics Department, Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Municipal Hospital), Qingdao 266071, China.
| | - Wenchao Han
- Pediatrics Department, Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Municipal Hospital), Qingdao 266071, China.
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9
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Phelps DW, Palekar AI, Conley HE, Ferrero G, Driggers JH, Linder KE, Kullman SW, Reif DM, Sheats MK, DeWitt JC, Yoder JA. Legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances suppress the neutrophil respiratory burst. J Immunotoxicol 2023; 20:2176953. [PMID: 36788734 PMCID: PMC10361455 DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2023.2176953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are used in a multitude of processes and products, including nonstick coatings, food wrappers, and fire-fighting foams. These chemicals are environmentally-persistent, ubiquitous, and can be detected in the serum of 98% of Americans. Despite evidence that PFASs alter adaptive immunity, few studies have investigated their effects on innate immunity. The report here presents results of studies that investigated the impact of nine environmentally-relevant PFASs [e.g. perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid potassium salt (PFOS-K), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), ammonium perfluoro(2-methyl-3-oxahexanoate) (GenX), 7H-perfluoro-4-methyl-3,6-dioxa-octane sulfonic acid (Nafion byproduct 2), and perfluoromethoxyacetic acid sodium salt (PFMOAA-Na)] on one component of the innate immune response, the neutrophil respiratory burst. The respiratory burst is a key innate immune process by which microbicidal reactive oxygen species (ROS) are rapidly induced by neutrophils in response to pathogens; defects in the respiratory burst can increase susceptibility to infection. The study here utilized larval zebrafish, a human neutrophil-like cell line, and primary human neutrophils to ascertain whether PFAS exposure inhibits ROS production in the respiratory burst. It was observed that exposure to PFHxA and GenX suppresses the respiratory burst in zebrafish larvae and a human neutrophil-like cell line. GenX also suppressed the respiratory burst in primary human neutrophils. This report is the first to demonstrate that these PFASs suppress neutrophil function and support the utility of employing zebrafish larvae and a human cell line as screening tools to identify chemicals that may suppress human immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drake W. Phelps
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Anika I. Palekar
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Haleigh E. Conley
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Giuliano Ferrero
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Jacob H. Driggers
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Keith E. Linder
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Seth W. Kullman
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Toxicology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - David M. Reif
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Toxicology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - M. Katie Sheats
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Jamie C. DeWitt
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
| | - Jeffrey A. Yoder
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Toxicology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
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10
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Robarts DR, Dai J, Lau C, Apte U, Corton JC. Hepatic Transcriptome Comparative In Silico Analysis Reveals Similar Pathways and Targets Altered by Legacy and Alternative Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Mice. TOXICS 2023; 11:963. [PMID: 38133364 PMCID: PMC10748317 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11120963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of fluorinated carbon chains that include legacy PFAS, such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS). These compounds induce adverse health effects, including hepatotoxicity. Potential alternatives to the legacy PFAS (HFPO-DA (GenX), HFPO4, HFPO-TA, F-53B, 6:2 FTSA, and 6:2 FTCA), as well as a byproduct of PFAS manufacturing (Nafion BP2), are increasingly being found in the environment. The potential hazards of these new alternatives are less well known. To better understand the diversity of molecular targets of the PFAS, we performed a comparative toxicogenomics analysis of the gene expression changes in the livers of mice exposed to these PFAS, and compared these to five activators of PPARα, a common target of many PFAS. Using hierarchical clustering, pathway analysis, and predictive biomarkers, we found that most of the alternative PFAS modulate molecular targets that overlap with legacy PFAS. Only three of the 11 PFAS tested did not appreciably activate PPARα (Nafion BP2, 6:2 FTSA, and 6:2 FTCA). Predictive biomarkers showed that most PFAS (PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, HFPO-TA, F-53B, HFPO4, Nafion BP2) activated CAR. PFNA, PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, HFPO4, HFPO-TA, F-53B, Nafion BP2, and 6:2 FTSA suppressed STAT5b, activated NRF2, and activated SREBP. There was no apparent relationship between the length of the carbon chain, type of head group, or number of ether linkages and the transcriptomic changes. This work highlights the similarities in molecular targets between the legacy and alternative PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota R. Robarts
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Christopher Lau
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Udayan Apte
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - J. Christopher Corton
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
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11
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Renyer A, Ravindra K, Wetmore BA, Ford JL, DeVito M, Hughes MF, Wehmas LC, MacMillan DK. Dose Response, Dosimetric, and Metabolic Evaluations of Replacement PFAS Perfluoro-(2,5,8-trimethyl-3,6,9-trioxadodecanoic) Acid (HFPO-TeA). TOXICS 2023; 11:951. [PMID: 38133352 PMCID: PMC10747602 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11120951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Few studies are available on the environmental and toxicological effects of perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acids (PFECAs), such as GenX, which are replacing legacy PFAS in manufacturing processes. To collect initial data on the toxicity and toxicokinetics of a longer-chain PFECA, male and female Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to perfluoro-(2,5,8-trimethyl-3,6,9-trioxadodecanoic) acid (HFPO-TeA) by oral gavage for five days over multiple dose levels (0.3-335.2 mg/kg/day). Clinically, we observed mortality at doses >17 mg/kg/day and body weight changes at doses ≤17 mg/kg/day. For the 17 mg/kg/day dose level, T3 and T4 thyroid hormone concentrations were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) from controls and HFPO-TeA plasma concentrations were significantly different between sexes. Non-targeted analysis of plasma and in vitro hepatocyte assay extractions revealed the presence of another GenX oligomer, perfluoro-(2,5-dimethyl-3,6-dioxanonanoic) acid (HFPO-TA). In vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) parameterized with in vitro toxicokinetic data predicted steady-state blood concentrations that were within seven-fold of those observed in the in vivo study, demonstrating reasonable predictivity. The evidence of thyroid hormone dysregulation, sex-based differences in clinical results and dosimetry, and IVIVE predictions presented here suggest that the replacement PFECA HFPO-TeA induces a complex and toxic exposure response in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aero Renyer
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA;
| | - Krishna Ravindra
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA;
| | - Barbara A. Wetmore
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Jermaine L. Ford
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Michael DeVito
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Michael F. Hughes
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Leah C. Wehmas
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
| | - Denise K. MacMillan
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Durham, NC 27709, USA; (B.A.W.); (J.L.F.); (M.D.); (M.F.H.); (L.C.W.)
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12
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Currie SD, Doherty JP, Xue KS, Wang JS, Tang L. The stage-specific toxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 336:122429. [PMID: 37619695 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122429] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of industrial chemicals that have been used for decades in industrial and commercial applications. Due to their widespread usages, persistence in the environment, and bioaccumulation in animals and humans, great public health concerns have been raised on adverse health risks of PFAS. In this study, ten PFAS were selected according to their occurrence in different water bodies. The wild-type worms were exposed to individual PFAS at 0, 0.1, 1,10, 100, and 200 μM, and the toxic effects of PFAS on growth, development, fecundity, and behavior at different life stages were investigated using a high-throughput screening (HTS) platform. Our results showed that perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), 1H,1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA), perfluorobutanesulfonic (PFBS), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) exhibited significant inhibitive effects on the growth in the L4 larva and later stages of worms with concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 200 μmol/L. PFOS and PFBS significantly decreased the brood size of worms across all tested concentrations (p < 0.05), and the most potent PFAS is PFOS with BMC of 0.02013 μM (BMCL, 1.6e-06 μM). During adulthood, all PFAS induced a significant reduction in motility (p < 0.01), while only PFOS can significantly induce behavior alteration at the early larvae stage. Furthermore, the adverse effects occurred in larval stages were found to be the most susceptible to the PFAS exposure. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential adverse effects associated with PFAS exposure and show the importance of considering developmental stages in toxicity assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth D Currie
- Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Joseph Patrick Doherty
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Kathy S Xue
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Jia-Sheng Wang
- Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Lili Tang
- Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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13
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Yang L, Chen Y, Ji H, Zhang X, Zhou Y, Li J, Wang Y, Xie Z, Yuan W, Liang H, Miao M. Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances and Bile Acid Profiles in Pregnant Women. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:15869-15881. [PMID: 37821457 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Alterations in bile acid (BA) profiles are closely associated with adverse outcomes in pregnant women and their offspring and may be one potential pathway underlying the related metabolic effects of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure. However, evidence of associations between PFAS exposure and BA profiles in pregnant women is scarce. This study examined the associations of individual PFAS and PFAS mixture with BA profiles of pregnant women. We obtained quantitative data on the plasma concentrations of 13 PFAS and 15 BAs in 645 pregnant women from the Jiashan birth cohort. In Bayesian kernel machine regression models, the PFAS mixture was associated with increased plasma CA, TCA, TCDCA, and GLCA levels but with decreased GCA and LCA concentrations. Furthermore, the PFAS mixture was associated with increased concentrations of total BAs and the secondary/primary BA ratio but with decreased conjugated/unconjugated and glycine/taurine-conjugated BA ratios. PFHxS, PFUdA, PFOS, PFNA, and PFDA were the dominant contributors. The results of the linear regression analysis of individual PFAS were generally similar. Our findings provide the first epidemiological evidence for the associations of a PFAS mixture with BA profiles in pregnant women and may provide explanatory insights into the biological pathways underlying the related metabolic effects of PFAS exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Yang
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yao Chen
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Honglei Ji
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Clinical Research Unit, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Toxicology, National Reference Laboratory of Dioxin, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Jianhui Li
- Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Hospital of SIPPR, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhenzhen Xie
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Hong Liang
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Maohua Miao
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200237, China
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14
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Soon WL, Peydayesh M, de Wild T, Donat F, Saran R, Müller CR, Gubler L, Mezzenga R, Miserez A. Renewable Energy from Livestock Waste Valorization: Amyloid-Based Feather Keratin Fuel Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:47049-47057. [PMID: 37751482 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c10218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Increasing carbon emissions have accelerated climate change, resulting in devastating effects that are now tangible on an everyday basis. This is mirrored by a projected increase in global energy demand of approximately 50% within a single generation, urging a shift from fossil-fuel-derived materials toward greener materials and more sustainable manufacturing processes. Biobased industrial byproducts, such as side streams from the food industry, are attractive alternatives with strong potential for valorization due to their large volume, low cost, renewability, biodegradability, and intrinsic material properties. Here, we demonstrate the reutilization of industrial chicken feather waste into proton-conductive membranes for fuel cells, protonic transistors, and water-splitting devices. Keratin was isolated from chicken feathers via a fast and economical process, converted into amyloid fibrils through heat treatment, and further processed into membranes with an imparted proton conductivity of 6.3 mS cm-1 using a simple oxidative method. The functionality of the membranes is demonstrated by assembling them into a hydrogen fuel cell capable of generating 25 mW cm-2 of power density to operate various types of devices using hydrogen and air as fuel. Additionally, these membranes were used to generate hydrogen through water splitting and in protonic field-effect transistors as thin-film modulators of protonic conductivity via the electrostatic gating effect. We believe that by converting industrial waste into renewable energy materials at low cost and high scalability, our green manufacturing process can contribute to a fully circular economy with a neutral carbon footprint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Long Soon
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mohammad Peydayesh
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tym de Wild
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Felix Donat
- Laboratory of Energy Science and Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zürich, Leonhardstrasse 21, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Rinku Saran
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christoph R Müller
- Laboratory of Energy Science and Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zürich, Leonhardstrasse 21, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lorenz Gubler
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ali Miserez
- Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551 Singapore, Singapore
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15
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Conley JM, Lambright CS, Evans N, Farraj AK, Smoot J, Grindstaff RD, Hill D, McCord J, Medlock-Kakaley E, Dixon A, Hines E, Gray LE. Dose additive maternal and offspring effects of oral maternal exposure to a mixture of three PFAS (HFPO-DA, NBP2, PFOS) during pregnancy in the Sprague-Dawley rat. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 892:164609. [PMID: 37271399 PMCID: PMC10681034 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Simultaneous exposure to multiple per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is common in humans across the globe. Individual PFAS are associated with adverse health effects, yet the nature of mixture effects after exposure to two or more PFAS remains unclear. Previously we reported that oral administration of hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA, or GenX), Nafion byproduct 2 (NBP2), or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) individually during pregnancy produced maternal and F1 effects. Here, we hypothesized that responses to the combined exposure to these three PFAS would be dose additive. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to a fixed-ratio equipotent mixture where the top dose contained each PFAS at their ED50 for neonatal mortality (100 % dose = PFOS 3 mg/kg; NBP2 10 mg/kg; HFPO-DA 110 mg/kg), followed by a dilution series (33.3, 10, 3.3, and 1 %) and vehicle controls (0 % dose). Consistent with the single chemical studies, dams were exposed from gestation day (GD)14-18 or from GD8-postnatal day (PND2). Fetal and maternal livers on GD18 displayed multiple significantly upregulated genes associated with lipid and carbohydrate metabolism at all dose levels, while dams displayed significantly increased liver weight (≥3.3 % dose) and reduced serum thyroid hormones (≥33.3 % dose). Maternal exposure from GD8-PND2 significantly reduced pup bodyweights at birth (≥33.3 % dose) and PND2 (all doses), increased neonatal liver weights (≥3.3 % dose), increased pup mortality (≥3.3 % dose), and reduced maternal bodyweights and weight gain at the top dose. Echocardiography of adult F1 males and females identified significantly increased left ventricular anterior wall thickness (~10 % increase), whereas other cardiac morphological, functional, and transcriptomic measures were unaffected. Mixture effects in maternal and neonatal animals conformed to dose addition using a relative potency factor (RPF) analysis. Results support dose addition-based cumulative assessment approaches for estimating combined effects of PFAS co-exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Conley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Christy S Lambright
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Aimen K Farraj
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Jacob Smoot
- ORISE Participant, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Rachel D Grindstaff
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Donna Hill
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - James McCord
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Aaron Dixon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Erin Hines
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - L Earl Gray
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
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16
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Wang Y, Chen X, Wang B, Lu G, Liu J, Wu D, Yan Z. Toxicity comparison of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), and hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA) in zebrafish gut. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 262:106655. [PMID: 37598522 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) and hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA) are considered as alternatives to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). In this study, zebrafish were exposed to different concentrations of PFOA, HFPO-DA, and HFPO-TA (5 μg/L and 500 μg/L), and the toxic effects on oxidative damage, inflammation, and cell apoptosis in the gut were compared. Additionally, changes in gut metabolome profiles and microbial community structure were analyzed. The results revealed that exposures to HFPO-DA and HFPO-TA led to lower levels of oxidative damage compared to PFOA exposure. However, all three treatments had comparable effects on inflammation and apoptosis. The main biological pathways affected by all three exposures were lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and environmental information processing. The effects on metabolome profiles were much higher for HFPO-DA and HFPO-TA compared to PFOA at a concentration of 5 μg/L. At a concentration of 500 μg/L, HFPO-DA and HFPO-TA showed similar effects to PFOA. This study also examined the Pearson correlations between gut microbiota and the toxic effects mentioned above. The abundance of specific apoptosis-related genera differed among the three target chemicals, suggesting they may act differently in inducing apoptosis. The correlations between HFPO-DA and HFPO-TA were mostly similar, which helps explain the similar effects observed in their respective treatment groups on metabolic profiles. Overall, this study indicates that HFPO-DA and HFPO-TA may not be safe alternatives to PFOA and provides valuable insights into their toxic effects and risk assessment in water environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China.
| | - Xi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
| | - Beibei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
| | - Guanghua Lu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
| | - Jianchao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
| | - Donghai Wu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
| | - Zhenhua Yan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China.
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17
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Rock KD, Polera ME, Guillette TC, Starnes HM, Dean K, Watters M, Stevens-Stewart D, Belcher SM. Domestic Dogs and Horses as Sentinels of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposure and Associated Health Biomarkers in Gray's Creek North Carolina. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:9567-9579. [PMID: 37340551 PMCID: PMC10802174 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01146] [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: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Central North Carolina (NC) is highly contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in part due to local fluorochemical production. Little is known about the exposure profiles and long-term health impacts for humans and animals that live in nearby communities. In this study, serum PFAS concentrations were determined using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry and diagnostic clinical chemistry endpoints were assessed for 31 dogs and 32 horses that reside in Gray's Creek NC at households with documented PFAS contamination in their drinking water. PFAS were detected in every sample, with 12 of the 20 PFAS detected in ≥50% of samples from each species. The average total PFAS concentrations in horses were lower compared to dogs who had higher concentrations of PFOS (dogs 2.9 ng/mL; horses 1.8 ng/mL), PFHxS (dogs 1.43 ng/mL, horses < LOD), and PFOA (dogs 0.37 ng/mL; horses 0.10 ng/mL). Regression analysis highlighted alkaline phosphatase, glucose, and globulin proteins in dogs and gamma glutamyl transferase in horses as potential biomarkers associated with PFAS exposure. Overall, the results of this study support the utility of companion animal and livestock species as sentinels of PFAS exposure differences inside and outside of the home. As in humans, renal and hepatic health in domestic animals may be sensitive to long-term PFAS exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie D Rock
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Madison E Polera
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Theresa C Guillette
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Participation Program, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Hannah M Starnes
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Kentley Dean
- Southern Oaks Animal Hospital, Hope Mills, North Carolina 28348, United States
| | - Mike Watters
- Gray's Creek Residents United against PFAS in Our Wells & Rivers, Gray's Creek, North Carolina 28348, United States
| | - Debra Stevens-Stewart
- Gray's Creek Residents United against PFAS in Our Wells & Rivers, Gray's Creek, North Carolina 28348, United States
| | - Scott M Belcher
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
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Wang Z, Zang L, Ren W, Guo H, Sheng N, Zhou X, Guo Y, Dai J. Bile acid metabolism disorder mediates hepatotoxicity of Nafion by-product 2 and perfluorooctane sulfonate in male PPARα-KO mice. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162579. [PMID: 36870486 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162579] [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: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and Nafion by-product 2 (H-PFMO2OSA) induce hepatotoxicity in male mice via activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) pathway; however, accumulating evidence suggests that PPARα-independent pathways also play a vital role in hepatotoxicity after exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Thus, to assess the hepatotoxicity of PFOS and H-PFMO2OSA more comprehensively, adult male wild-type (WT) and PPARα knockout (PPARα-KO) mice were exposed to PFOS and H-PFMO2OSA (1 or 5 mg/kg/d) for 28 d via oral gavage. Results showed that although elevations in alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were alleviated in PPARα-KO mice, liver injury, including liver enlargement and necrosis, was still observed after PFOS and H-PFMO2OSA exposure. Liver transcriptome analysis identified fewer differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the PPARα-KO mice than in the WT mice, but more DEGs associated with the bile acid secretion pathway after PFOS and H-PFMO2OSA treatment. Total bile acid content in the liver was increased in the 1 and 5 mg/kg/d PFOS-exposed and 5 mg/kg/d H-PFMO2OSA-exposed PPARα-KO mice. Furthermore, in PPARα-KO mice, proteins showing changes in transcription and translation levels after PFOS and H-PFMO2OSA exposure were involved in the synthesis, transportation, reabsorption, and excretion of bile acids. Thus, exposure to PFOS and H-PFMO2OSA in male PPARα-KO mice may disturb bile acid metabolism, which is not under the control of PPARα.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiru Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Lu Zang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Wanlan Ren
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hua Guo
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Nan Sheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xuming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Organofluorine Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China.
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19
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Gui W, Guo H, Wang J, Wang C, Guo Y, Zhang K, Dai J, Zhao Y. Nafion by-product 2 disturbs lipid homeostasis in zebrafish embryo. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 322:121178. [PMID: 36731735 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121178] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
As a novel polyfluoroalkyl substance, Nafion by-product 2 (Nafion BP2) has been detected widely in environmental matrix as well as human samples. However, its toxicity remains poorly recognized. Here, we investigated the toxic effects of Nafion BP2 by use of zebrafish model and highlighted its toxicity on lipid homeostasis. Large sized-lipid droplets (LDs) have been revealed to gather in pericardium and anterior yolk sac region of zebrafish larvae by Oil Red O staining after a 120 h Nafion BP2 exposure. Meanwhile, the total cholesterol (TC) concentrations were significantly disrupted. Lipidomic analysis uncovered a dramatical alterations on lipid profiles. Significant reductions were observed for a set of lipids including phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingolipid (SM) and triglyceride (TG) in zebrafish. Transcriptome analyses further confirmed genes involved in LDs biosynthesis, lipid transportation and lipid metabolism, were significantly disrupted. Especially for APOA4 and CIDEC genes, fold changes (Log2 FC) of gene expression level by up to 17.8 and 3.5, respectively, were observed. Together, these findings demonstrated the disturbance of Nafion BP2 on lipid homeostasis of zebrafish and provided an unprecedented insight into the health risk assessments of emerging fluorochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanying Gui
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Hua Guo
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jinghua Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Congcong Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yong Guo
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Organofluorine Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yanbin Zhao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
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20
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Bohannon ME, Narizzano AM, Guigni BA, East AG, Quinn MJ. Next-generation PFAS 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate reduces plaque formation in exposed white-footed mice. Toxicol Sci 2023; 192:97-105. [PMID: 36629485 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) has been used as a replacement for legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). We assessed reproductive and developmental effects in a human-wildlife hybrid animal model based on the association of adverse effects linked to legacy PFAS with these sensitive life stages. In this study, white-footed mice were exposed orally to 0, 0.2, 1, 5, or 25 mg/kg-day 6:2 FTS for 112 days (4 weeks premating exposure plus at least 4 weeks mating exposure). Pregnancy and fertility indices were calculated, and litter production, total litter size, live litter size, stillbirths, litter loss, average pup weight, and pinna unfolding were assessed. Sex steroid and thyroid hormone serum levels were assessed. Body weight, histopathology, and immune function were also assessed in this study. Reproductive endpoints were not significantly altered in response to 6:2 FTS. Spleen weight increased in male mice dosed with 6:2 FTS. Immune function determined via a plaque-forming cell (PFC) assay was decreased in both male and female mice in the 2 highest doses. A low benchmark dose was calculated based on PFCs as the critical effect and was found to be 2.63 and 2.26 mg/kg-day 6:2 FTS in male and female mice, respectively. This study characterizes 6:2 FTS as being potentially immunotoxic with little evidence of effect on reproduction and development; furthermore, it models acceptable levels of exposure. These 2 pieces of information together will aid regulators in setting environmental exposure limits for this PFAS currently thought to be less toxic than other PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith E Bohannon
- Toxicology Directorate, U.S. Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, USA
| | - Allison M Narizzano
- Toxicology Directorate, U.S. Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, USA
| | - Blas A Guigni
- Toxicology Directorate, U.S. Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, USA
| | - Andrew G East
- Toxicology Directorate, U.S. Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, USA
| | - Michael J Quinn
- Toxicology Directorate, U.S. Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, USA
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21
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Manojkumar Y, Pilli S, Rao PV, Tyagi RD. Sources, occurrence and toxic effects of emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Neurotoxicol Teratol 2023; 97:107174. [PMID: 36907230 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2023.107174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) cause potential threats to biota and are persistent and never-ending substances in the environment. Regulations and ban on legacy PFAS by various global organizations and national level regulatory agencies had shifted the fluorochemical production to emerging PFAS and fluorinated alternatives. Emerging PFAS are mobile and more persistent in aquatic systems, posing potential greater threats to human and environmental health. Emerging PFAS have been found in aquatic animals, rivers, food products, aqueous film-forming foams, sediments, and a variety of other ecological media. This review summarizes the physicochemical properties, sources, occurrence in biota and the environment, and toxicity of the emerging PFAS. Fluorinated and non-fluorinated alternatives for several industrial applications and consumer goods as the replacement of historical PFAS are also discussed in the review. Fluorochemical production plants and wastewater treatment plants are the main sources of emerging PFAS to various environmental matrices. Information and research are scarcely available on the sources, existence, transport, fate, and toxic effects of emerging PFAS to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Manojkumar
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal 506004, Telangana, India
| | - Sridhar Pilli
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal 506004, Telangana, India.
| | - P Venkateswara Rao
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal 506004, Telangana, India
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22
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Yu G, Wang J, Liu Y, Luo T, Meng X, Zhang R, Huang B, Sun Y, Zhang J. Metabolic perturbations in pregnant rats exposed to low-dose perfluorooctanesulfonic acid: An integrated multi-omics analysis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 173:107851. [PMID: 36863164 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Emerging epidemiological evidence has linked per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure could be linked to the disturbance of gestational glucolipid metabolism, but the toxicological mechanism is unclear, especially when the exposure is at a low level. This study examined the glucolipid metabolic changes in pregnant rats treated with relatively low dose perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) through oral gavage during pregnancy [gestational day (GD): 1-18]. We explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the metabolic perturbation. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and biochemical tests were performed to assess the glucose homeostasis and serum lipid profiles in pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats randomly assigned to starch, 0.03 and 0.3 mg/kg·bw·d groups. Transcriptome sequencing combined with non-targeted metabolomic assays were further performed to identify differentially altered genes and metabolites in the liver of maternal rats, and to determine their correlation with the maternal metabolic phenotypes. Results of transcriptome showed that differentially expressed genes at 0.03 and 0.3 mg/kg·bw·d PFOS exposure were related to several metabolic pathways, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) signaling, ovarian steroid synthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, insulin resistance, cholesterol metabolism, unsaturated fatty acid synthesis, bile acid secretion. The untargeted metabolomics identified 164 and 158 differential metabolites in 0.03 and 0.3 mg/kg·bw·d exposure groups, respectively under negative ion mode of Electrospray Ionization (ESI-), which could be enriched in metabolic pathways such as α-linolenic acid metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, glycerolipid metabolism, glucagon signaling pathway, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. Co-enrichment analysis indicated that PFOS exposure may disturb the metabolism pathways of glycerolipid, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, linoleic acid, steroid biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine. The key involved genes included down-regulated Ppp1r3c and Abcd2, and up-regulated Ogdhland Ppp1r3g, and the key metabolites such as increased glycerol 3-phosphate and lactosylceramide were further identified. Both of them were significantly associated with maternal fasting blood glucose (FBG) level. Our findings may provide mechanistic clues for clarifying metabolic toxicity of PFOS in human, especially for susceptible population such as pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqi Yu
- Ministry of Education -Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jinguo Wang
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Ministry of Education -Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Tingyu Luo
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China
| | - Xi Meng
- Ministry of Education -Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ruiyuan Zhang
- Ministry of Education -Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Bo Huang
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China
| | - Yan Sun
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education -Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
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23
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Robarts DR, Paine-Cabrera D, Kotulkar M, Venneman KK, Gunewardena S, Corton JC, Lau C, Foquet L, Bial G, Apte U. Identifying Human Specific Adverse Outcome Pathways of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Using Liver-Chimeric Humanized Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.01.526711. [PMID: 36778348 PMCID: PMC9915685 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.01.526711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants with myriad adverse effects. While perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are the most common contaminants, levels of replacement PFAS, such as perfluoro-2-methyl-3-oxahexanoic acid (GenX), are increasing. In rodents, PFOA, PFOS, and GenX have several adverse effects on the liver, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Objective We aimed to determine human-relevant mechanisms of PFAS induced adverse hepatic effects using FRG liver-chimeric humanized mice with livers repopulated with functional human hepatocytes. Methods Male humanized mice were treated with 0.067 mg/L of PFOA, 0.145 mg/L of PFOS, or 1 mg/L of GenX in drinking water for 28 days. Liver and serum were collected for pathology and clinical chemistry, respectively. RNA-sequencing coupled with pathway analysis was used to determine molecular mechanisms. Results PFOS caused a significant decrease in total serum cholesterol and LDL/VLDL, whereas GenX caused a significant elevation in LDL/VLDL with no change in total cholesterol and HDL. PFOA had no significant changes in serum LDL/VLDL and total cholesterol. All three PFAS induced significant hepatocyte proliferation. RNA-sequencing with alignment to the human genome showed a total of 240, 162, and 619 differentially expressed genes after PFOA, PFOS, and GenX exposure, respectively. Upstream regulator analysis revealed inhibition of NR1D1, a transcriptional repressor important in circadian rhythm, as the major common molecular change in all PFAS treatments. PFAS treated mice had significant nuclear localization of NR1D1. In silico modeling showed PFOA, PFOS, and GenX potentially interact with the DNA-binding domain of NR1D1. Discussion These data implicate PFAS in circadian rhythm disruption via inhibition of NR1D1. These studies show that FRG humanized mice are a useful tool for studying the adverse outcome pathways of environmental pollutants on human hepatocytes in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota R. Robarts
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
| | - Diego Paine-Cabrera
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
| | - Manasi Kotulkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
| | - Kaitlyn K. Venneman
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
| | - Sumedha Gunewardena
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
| | - J. Christopher Corton
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Christopher Lau
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | | | | | - Udayan Apte
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
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Gui W, Guo H, Chen X, Wang J, Guo Y, Zhang H, Zhou X, Zhao Y, Dai J. Emerging polyfluorinated compound Nafion by-product 2 disturbs intestinal homeostasis in zebrafish (Danio rerio). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 249:114368. [PMID: 36508837 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114368] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Nafion by-product 2 (Nafion BP2), an emerging fluorinated sulfonic acid commonly used in polymer electrolyte membrane technologies, has been detected in various environmental and human matrices. To date, however, few studies have explored its toxicity. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to Nafion BP2 at concentrations of 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, and 160 mg/L from fertilization to 120 post-fertilization (hpf), and multiple developmental parameters (survival rate, hatching rate, and malformation rate) were then determined. Results showed that Nafion BP2 exposure led to a significant decrease in survival and hatching rates and an increase in malformations. The half maximal effective concentration (EC50) of Nafion BP2 for malformation at 120 hpf was 55 mg/L, which is higher than the globally important contaminant perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS, 6 mg/L). Furthermore, exposure to Nafion BP2 resulted in additional types of malformations compared to PFOS exposure. Pathologically, Nafion BP2 caused abnormal early foregut development, with exfoliation of intestinal mucosa, damage to lamina propria, and aberrant proliferation of lamina propria cells. Nitric oxide content also decreased markedly. In addition, embryos showed an inflammatory response following Nafion BP2 exposure, with significantly increased levels of pro-inflammatory factors C4 and IL-6. Acidic mucin in the hindgut increased more than two-fold. 16 S rRNA sequencing revealed a marked increase in the pathogen Pseudomonas otitidis. Furthermore, pathways involved in intestinal protein digestion and absorption, inflammatory response, and immune response were significantly altered. Our findings suggest that the intestine is a crucial toxicity target of Nafion BP2 in zebrafish, thus highlighting the need to evaluate its health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanying Gui
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hua Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jinghua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Organofluorine Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongxia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xuming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanbin Zhao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiayin Dai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
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25
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Conley JM, Lambright CS, Evans N, Medlock-Kakaley E, Dixon A, Hill D, McCord J, Strynar MJ, Ford J, Gray LE. Cumulative maternal and neonatal effects of combined exposure to a mixture of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) during pregnancy in the Sprague-Dawley rat. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 170:107631. [PMID: 36402036 PMCID: PMC9944680 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Globally, biomonitoring data demonstrate virtually all humans carry residues of multiple per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Despite pervasive co-exposure, limited mixtures-based in vivo PFAS toxicity research has been conducted. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are commonly detected PFAS in human and environmental samples and both produce adverse effects in laboratory animal studies, including maternal and offspring effects when orally administered during pregnancy and lactation. To evaluate the effects of combined exposure to PFOA and PFOS, we orally exposed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats from gestation day 8 (GD8) to postnatal day 2 (PND2) to PFOA (10-250 mg/kg/d) or PFOS (0.1-5 mg/kg/d) individually to characterize effects and dose response curve parameters, followed by a variable-ratio mixture experiment with a constant dose of PFOS (2 mg/kg/d) mixed with increasing doses of PFOA (3-80 mg/kg/d). The mixture study design was intended to: 1) shift the PFOA dose response curves for endpoints shared with PFOS, 2) allow comparison of dose addition (DA) and response addition (RA) model predictions, 3) conduct relative potency factor (RPF) analysis for multiple endpoints, and 4) avoid overt maternal toxicity. Maternal serum and liver concentrations of PFOA and PFOS were consistent between the individual chemical and mixture experiments. Combined exposure with PFOS significantly shifted the PFOA dose response curves towards effects at lower doses compared to PFOA-only exposure for multiple endpoints and these effects were well predicted by dose addition. For endpoints amenable to mixture model analyses, DA produced equivalent or better estimates of observed data than RA. All endpoints evaluated were accurately predicted by RPF and DA approaches except for maternal gestational weight gain, which produced less-than-additive results in the mixture. Data support the hypothesis of cumulative effects on shared endpoints from PFOA and PFOS co-exposure and dose additive approaches for predictive estimates of mixture effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Conley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Christy S Lambright
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Aaron Dixon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Donna Hill
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - James McCord
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Mark J Strynar
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Jermaine Ford
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - L Earl Gray
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
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26
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Bangma J, Guillette TC, Strynar M, Lindstrom A, McCord J, Hill D, Lau C, Chernoff N, Lang JR. A rapid assessment bioaccumulation screening (RABS) study design for emerging per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances in mice exposed to industrially impacted surface water. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136159. [PMID: 36064024 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The shift away from PFOS and PFOA production in the past 20 years towards shorter chain and replacement PFAS has led to the environmental release of complex mixtures of emerging PFAS for which bioaccumulation potential and toxicology are largely unknown. The rate at which emerging PFAS can be prioritized for research in these complex mixtures is often limited by the lack of available chemical standards. We developed a study design that rapidly assesses which emerging PFAS in an environmentally derived mixture have the potential for mammalian bioaccumulation and thus prioritize these emerging chemicals for standard synthesis and toxicity testing. Surface water was collected at an impacted site downstream of an industrial fluorochemical manufacturing outfall and concentrated 100-fold via weak anion exchange, solid-phase extraction. The concentrated extract contained 13 previously identified emerging PFAS, including hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA). BALB/c mice were orally dosed with surface water concentrate once a day for seven days. Twenty-four hours after the last dose, liver, serum, urine, and feces were collected and the emerging PFAS were semi-quantified based on peak area counts. Of the 13 emerging PFAS, Nafion byproduct-2 (Nafion BP2), Hydro-EVE, PFO4DA, and PFO5DoA had the largest increases in percent composition when comparing serum and liver to the dosing solution, suggesting that these PFAS may have the highest bioaccumulation potential. This finding supports other studies that detected bioaccumulation of the same four PFAS in human serum collected from communities with contaminated drinking water. In the future, the Rapid Assessment Bioaccumulation Screening (RABS) study design can be extended to other complex industrial chemical mixtures impacting surface water in order to better inform chemical prioritization for acquisition and in vitro/in vivo toxicity testing of the potential pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Bangma
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA; Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
| | | | - Mark Strynar
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Andrew Lindstrom
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - James McCord
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Donna Hill
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Christopher Lau
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Neil Chernoff
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Johnsie R Lang
- Arcadis G&M of North Carolina, Inc. 5420 Wade Park Blvd Suite 350, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA
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27
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Evans N, Conley JM, Cardon M, Hartig P, Medlock-Kakaley E, Gray LE. In vitro activity of a panel of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), fatty acids, and pharmaceuticals in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) alpha, PPAR gamma, and estrogen receptor assays. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2022; 449:116136. [PMID: 35752307 PMCID: PMC9341220 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Data demonstrate numerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), however, additional work is needed to characterize PFAS activity on PPAR gamma (PPARγ) and other nuclear receptors. We utilized in vitro assays with either human or rat PPARα or PPARγ ligand binding domains to evaluate 16 PFAS (HFPO-DA, HFPO-DA-AS, NBP2, PFMOAA, PFHxA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFOS, PFBS, PFHxS, PFOSA, EtPFOSA, and 4:2, 6:2 and 8:2 FTOH), 3 endogenous fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, and octanoic), and 3 pharmaceuticals (WY14643, clofibrate, and the metabolite clofibric acid). We also tested chemicals for human estrogen receptor (hER) transcriptional activation. Nearly all compounds activated both PPARα and PPARγ in both human and rat ligand binding domain assays, except for the FTOH compounds and PFOSA. Receptor activation and relative potencies were evaluated based on effect concentration 20% (EC20), top percent of max fold induction (pmaxtop), and area under the curve (AUC). HFPO-DA and HFPO-DA-AS were the most potent (lowest EC20, highest pmaxtop and AUC) of all PFAS in rat and human PPARα assays, being slightly less potent than oleic and linoleic acid, while NBP2 was the most potent in rat and human PPARγ assays. Only PFHxS, 8:2 and 6:2 FTOH exhibited hER agonism >20% pmax. In vitro measures of human and rat PPARα and PPARγ activity did not correlate with oral doses or serum concentrations of PFAS that induced increases in male rat liver weight from the National Toxicology Program 28-d toxicity studies. Data indicate that both PPARα and PPARγ activation may be molecular initiating events that contribute to the in vivo effects observed for many PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment/Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - Justin M Conley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment/Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - Mary Cardon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment/Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - Phillip Hartig
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment/Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment/Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - L Earl Gray
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research & Development/Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment/Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
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28
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Wang Z, Yao J, Guo H, Sheng N, Guo Y, Dai J. Comparative Hepatotoxicity of a Novel Perfluoroalkyl Ether Sulfonic Acid, Nafion Byproduct 2 (H-PFMO2OSA), and Legacy Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) in Adult Male Mice. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:10183-10192. [PMID: 35786879 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nafion byproduct 2 (H-PFMO2OSA) has been detected in the environment, but little is known about its toxicities. To compare the hepatotoxicity of H-PFMO2OSA with legacy perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), male adult mice were exposed to 0.2, 1, or 5 mg/kg/d of each chemical for 28 days. Results showed that, although H-PFMO2OSA liver and serum concentrations were lower than those of PFOS, the relative liver weight in the H-PFMO2OSA groups was significantly higher than that in the corresponding PFOS groups. In addition, the increase in alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase activity was greater in the H-PFMO2OSA groups than in the PFOS groups. Reduced glutathione (GSH) content and glutathione reductase activity in the liver increased in the 1 and 5 mg/kg/d H-PFMO2OSA groups and in the 5 mg/kg/d PFOS group. Liver quantitative proteome analysis demonstrated that, similar to PFOS, H-PFMO2OSA caused lipid metabolism disorder, and most lipid metabolism-related differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were controlled by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα). Additionally, KEGG enrichment analysis highlighted changes in the GSH metabolism pathway after PFOS and H-PFMO2OSA exposure. Then, there were eight DEPs involved in the GSH metabolism pathway that mostly were upregulated after exposure to H-PFMO2OSA but not after exposure to PFOS. In conclusion, H-PFMO2OSA induced higher levels of liver damage and more serious GSH metabolism dysregulation compared to PFOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiru Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jingzhi Yao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hua Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Nan Sheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Organofluorine Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
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29
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Liu JJ, Cui XX, Tan YW, Dong PX, Ou YQ, Li QQ, Chu C, Wu LY, Liang LX, Qin SJ, Zeeshan M, Zhou Y, Hu LW, Liu RQ, Zeng XW, Dong GH, Zhao XM. Per- and perfluoroalkyl substances alternatives, mixtures and liver function in adults: A community-based population study in China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 163:107179. [PMID: 35325771 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Experimental evidence has shown that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) alternatives and mixtures may exert hepatotoxic effects in animals. However, epidemiological evidence is limited. This research aimed to explore associations of PFAS and the alternatives with liver function in a general adult population. The study participants consisted of 1,303 adults from a community-based cross-sectional investigation in Guangzhou, China, from November 2018 to August 2019. We selected 13 PFAS with detection rates > 85% in serum samples and focused on perfluorooctane-sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and their alternatives [6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFESA), 8:2 Cl-PFESA, and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)] as predictors of outcome. Six liver function biomarkers (ALB, ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, and DBIL) were chosen as outcomes. We applied regression models with restricted cubic spline function to explore correlations between single PFAS and liver function and inspected the combined effect of PFAS mixtures on liver by applying Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). We discovered positive associations among PFAS and liver function biomarkers except for ALP. For example, compared with the 25th percentile of PFAS concentration, the level of ALT increased by 12.36% (95% CI: 7.91%, 16.98%) for ln-6:2 Cl-PFESA, 5.59% (95% CI: 2.35%, 8.92%) for ln-8:2 Cl-PFESA, 3.56% (95% CI: -0.39%, 7.68%) for ln-PFHxA, 13.91% (95% CI: 8.93%, 19.13%) for ln-PFOA, and 14.25% (95% CI: 9.91%, 18.77%) for ln-PFOS at their 75th percentile. In addition, higher exposed serum PFAS was found to be correlated with greater odds of abnormal liver function. Analysis from BKMR models also showed an adverse association between PFAS mixtures and liver function. The combined effect of the PFAS mixture appeared to be non-interactive, in which PFOS was the main contributor to the overall effect. Our findings provide evidence of associations between PFAS alternatives, PFAS mixtures, and liver function in the general adult population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao-Jiao Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xin-Xin Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Ya-Wen Tan
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Peng-Xin Dong
- Nursing College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Yan-Qiu Ou
- Department of Epidemiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Cardiovascular Diseases, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Qing-Qing Li
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Chu Chu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Lu-Yin Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Li-Xia Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Shuang-Jian Qin
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Mohammed Zeeshan
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Li-Wen Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Ru-Qing Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Guang-Hui Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Xiao-Miao Zhao
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China.
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