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Phelps DW, Connors AM, Ferrero G, DeWitt JC, Yoder JA. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances alter innate immune function: evidence and data gaps. J Immunotoxicol 2024; 21:2343362. [PMID: 38712868 PMCID: PMC11249028 DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2024.2343362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a large class of compounds used in a variety of processes and consumer products. Their unique chemical properties make them ubiquitous and persistent environmental contaminants while also making them economically viable and socially convenient. To date, several reviews have been published to synthesize information regarding the immunotoxic effects of PFASs on the adaptive immune system. However, these reviews often do not include data on the impact of these compounds on innate immunity. Here, current literature is reviewed to identify and incorporate data regarding the effects of PFASs on innate immunity in humans, experimental models, and wildlife. Known mechanisms by which PFASs modulate innate immune function are also reviewed, including disruption of cell signaling, metabolism, and tissue-level effects. For PFASs where innate immune data are available, results are equivocal, raising additional questions about common mechanisms or pathways of toxicity, but highlighting that the innate immune system within several species can be perturbed by exposure to PFASs. Recommendations are provided for future research to inform hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk management practices for PFASs to protect the immune systems of exposed organisms as well as environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drake W. Phelps
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Ashley M. Connors
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Toxicology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Genetics and Genomics Academy, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Giuliano Ferrero
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, 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 Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - Jeffrey A. Yoder
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Toxicology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Genetics and Genomics Academy, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
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Post CM, McDonough C, Lawrence BP. Binary and quaternary mixtures of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) differentially affect the immune response to influenza A virus infection. J Immunotoxicol 2024; 21:2340495. [PMID: 38946256 PMCID: PMC11219007 DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2024.2340495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic organofluorine compounds that persist indefinitely in the environment and bioaccumulate throughout all trophic levels. Biomonitoring efforts have detected multiple PFAS in the serum of most people. Immune suppression has been among the most consistent effects of exposure to PFAS. PFAS often co-occur as mixtures in the environment, however, few studies have examined immunosuppression of PFAS mixtures or determined whether PFAS exposure affects immune function in the context of infection. In this study, mixtures containing two or four different PFAS and a mouse model of infection with influenza A virus (IAV) were used to assess immunotoxicity of PFAS mixtures. PFAS were administered via the drinking water as either a binary mixture of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or quaternary mixture of PFOS, PFOA, perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). The results indicated that the binary mixture affected the T-cell response, while the quaternary mixture affected the B-cell response to infection. These findings indicate that the immunomodulatory effects of PFAS mixtures are not simply additive, and that the sensitivity of immune responses to PFAS varies by cell type and mixture. The study also demonstrates the importance of studying adverse health effects of PFAS mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M. Post
- University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester NY
| | | | - B. Paige Lawrence
- University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester NY
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Drago G, Aloi N, Ruggieri S, Longo A, Contrino ML, Contarino FM, Cibella F, Colombo P, Longo V. Guardians under Siege: Exploring Pollution's Effects on Human Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7788. [PMID: 39063030 PMCID: PMC11277414 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemical pollution poses a significant threat to human health, with detrimental effects on various physiological systems, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, mental, and perinatal domains. While the impact of pollution on these systems has been extensively studied, the intricate relationship between chemical pollution and immunity remains a critical area of investigation. The focus of this study is to elucidate the relationship between chemical pollution and human immunity. To accomplish this task, this study presents a comprehensive review that encompasses in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies, shedding light on the ways in which chemical pollution can modulate human immunity. Our aim is to unveil the complex mechanisms by which environmental contaminants compromise the delicate balance of the body's defense systems going beyond the well-established associations with defense systems and delving into the less-explored link between chemical exposure and various immune disorders, adding urgency to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and their implications for public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaspare Drago
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy (IRIB-CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.D.); (N.A.); (S.R.); (A.L.); (F.C.); (V.L.)
| | - Noemi Aloi
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy (IRIB-CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.D.); (N.A.); (S.R.); (A.L.); (F.C.); (V.L.)
| | - Silvia Ruggieri
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy (IRIB-CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.D.); (N.A.); (S.R.); (A.L.); (F.C.); (V.L.)
| | - Alessandra Longo
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy (IRIB-CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.D.); (N.A.); (S.R.); (A.L.); (F.C.); (V.L.)
| | - Maria Lia Contrino
- Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale di Siracusa, Corso Gelone 17, 96100 Siracusa, Italy; (M.L.C.); (F.M.C.)
| | - Fabio Massimo Contarino
- Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale di Siracusa, Corso Gelone 17, 96100 Siracusa, Italy; (M.L.C.); (F.M.C.)
| | - Fabio Cibella
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy (IRIB-CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.D.); (N.A.); (S.R.); (A.L.); (F.C.); (V.L.)
| | - Paolo Colombo
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy (IRIB-CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.D.); (N.A.); (S.R.); (A.L.); (F.C.); (V.L.)
| | - Valeria Longo
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy (IRIB-CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (G.D.); (N.A.); (S.R.); (A.L.); (F.C.); (V.L.)
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Rudzanová B, Thon V, Vespalcová H, Martyniuk CJ, Piler P, Zvonař M, Klánová J, Bláha L, Adamovsky O. Altered Transcriptome Response in PBMCs of Czech Adults Linked to Multiple PFAS Exposure: B Cell Development as a Target of PFAS Immunotoxicity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:90-98. [PMID: 38112183 PMCID: PMC10785749 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05109] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
While the immunomodulation effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are described on the level of clinical signs in epidemiological studies (e.g., suppressed antibody response after vaccination), the underlying mechanism has still not been fully elucidated. To reveal mechanisms of PFAS exposure on immunity, we investigated the genome-wide transcriptomic changes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) responding to PFAS exposure (specifically, exposure to PFPA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, and PFOS). Blood samples and the chemical load in the blood were analyzed under the cross-sectional CELSPAC: Young Adults study. The overall aim of the study was to identify sensitive gene sets and cellular pathways conserved for multiple PFAS chemicals. Transcriptome networks related to adaptive immunity were perturbed by multiple PFAS exposure (i.e., blood levels of at least four PFASs). Specifically, processes tightly connected with late B cell development, such as B cell receptor signaling, germinal center reactions, and plasma cell development, were shown to be affected. Our comprehensive transcriptome analysis identified the disruption of B cell development, specifically the impact on the maturation of antibody-secreting cells, as a potential mechanism underlying PFAS immunotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Rudzanová
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Thon
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Vespalcová
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Christopher J. Martyniuk
- Department
of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology,
UF Genetics Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Pavel Piler
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Zvonař
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department
of Kinesiology, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Klánová
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Luděk Bláha
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Adamovsky
- RECETOX,
Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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