Project description:The immunotoxicity of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) were reported previously, however, the detailed toxic mechanism remain unknown. Spleen is an important immune organ that controls the differentiation and development of immune cells including T cells, B cells, and macrophages etc. the disruption of the organ may result in altered immune functions and immunotoxicity. We used microarrays to snapshot the changes of global gene expression, and identified target genes underlying the immunotoxicity of PFOS exposure. 6-8 week old Balb/c female mice were exposed to 10mg/kg body weight PFOS per day for 3 weeks through intragastric administration, and then spleens were removed for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. By comparing the gene expression of spleens with or without PFOS exposure, we sought to obtain differentially expressed genes in order to reveal the toxic mechanism of PFOS.
Project description:During pregnancy, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure is linked to increased risks of preeclampsia and fetal developmental complications. Although experimental and circumstantial data suggest that PFOS induces endothelial dysfunction, leading to decreased uterine arterial blood flow and gestational hypertension, the precise regulatory mechanisms responsible for this effect remain unknown. To address this issue, we treated human uterine artery endothelial cells (hUAECs) isolated from pregnant women with PFOS and conducted a comparative transcriptomic analyses to understand the underlying mechanism of PFOS-induced endothelial dysfunction.
Project description:Condition specific zebrafish metabolic models generated using the COBRA MetaboTools framework. The Wang et al., (2021) zebrafish genome-scale metabolic model (GEM) was constrained with experimental data from 5 days post fertilized (dpf) zebrafish to generate a 'base-model'.
In turn this 5 dpf zebrafish base-model was constrained with experimental (transcriptomics and metabolomics) data from 5 dpf zebrafish exposed to the environmental pollutant perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), at three levels - Low (0.06 uM), Medium (0.6 uM), and High (2 uM) PFOS.
The MetaboTools framework was used to construct three condition-sepcific models: Low, Medium, and High PFOS.
Key simulation predictions of effects on the carnitine shuttle and lipid metabolism were confirmed in wild-caught fish and dolphins (stranded animals) sampled from the northern Gulf of Mexico - published in Nolen et al., (2024) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2023.109817
Project description:The immunotoxicity of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) were reported previously, however, the detailed toxic mechanism remain unknown. Spleen is an important immune organ that controls the differentiation and development of immune cells including T cells, B cells, and macrophages etc. the disruption of the organ may result in altered immune functions and immunotoxicity. We used microarrays to snapshot the changes of global gene expression, and identified target genes underlying the immunotoxicity of PFOS exposure.
Project description:Recently it was discovered that the perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) detected in wildlife, such as fish-eating birds, had a greater proportion of linear PFOS (L-PFOS) than the manufactured technical product (T-PFOS), which contains linear and branched isomers. This suggests toxicological studies based on T-PFOS data may inaccurately assess exposure risk to wildlife. To determine if PFOS effects were influenced by isomer content we compared the transcriptional profiles of cultured chicken embryonic hepatocytes (CEH) exposed to either L-PFOS or T-PFOS using Agilent microarrays. At equal concentrations (10 μM), T-PFOS altered the expression of more transcripts (340, >1.5 fold change, p<0.05) compared to L-PFOS (130 transcripts). Higher concentrations of L-PFOS (40 μM) were also less transcriptionally disruptive (217 transcripts) than T-PFOS at 10 μM. Functional analysis showed that L-PFOS and T-PFOS affected genes involved in lipid metabolism, hepatic system development and cellular growth and proliferation. Pathway and interactome analysis suggested that genes may be affected through the RXR receptor, oxidative stress response, TP53 signaling, MYC signaling, Wnt/β-catenin signaling and PPARγ and SREBP receptors. In all functional categories and pathways examined, the response elicited by T-PFOS was greater than L-PFOS. These data show that T-PFOS elicits a greater transcriptional response in CEH than L-PFOS alone and demonstrates the importance of considering the isomer-specific toxicological properties of PFOS when assessing exposure risk. Reference Design. Reference = pool of equal parts of all control and treated samples. Control groups and 5 treatment groups. Control samples were CEH exposed DMSO only (vehicle solvent). Treatments were: CEH exposed to 10 uM L-PFOS, 40 uM L-PFOS, 10 uM T-PFOS, 0.03 nM TCDD and 1 nM TCDD.
Project description:This series was used for two studies: Study 1: Recently it was discovered that the perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) detected in wildlife, such as fish-eating birds, had a greater proportion of linear PFOS (L-PFOS) than the manufactured technical product (T-PFOS), which contains linear and branched isomers. This suggests toxicological studies based on T-PFOS data may inaccurately assess exposure risk to wildlife. To determine if PFOS effects were influenced by isomer content we compared the transcriptional profiles of cultured chicken embryonic hepatocytes (CEH) exposed to either L-PFOS or T-PFOS using Agilent microarrays. At equal concentrations (10 ?M), T-PFOS altered the expression of more transcripts (340, >1.5 fold change, p<0.05) compared to L-PFOS (130 transcripts). Higher concentrations of L-PFOS (40 ?M) were also less transcriptionally disruptive (217 transcripts) than T-PFOS at 10 ?M. Functional analysis showed that L-PFOS and T-PFOS affected genes involved in lipid metabolism, hepatic system development and cellular growth and proliferation. Pathway and interactome analysis suggested that genes may be affected through the RXR receptor, oxidative stress response, TP53 signaling, MYC signaling, Wnt/?-catenin signaling and PPAR? and SREBP receptors. In all functional categories and pathways examined, the response elicited by T-PFOS was greater than L-PFOS. These data show that T-PFOS elicits a greater transcriptional response in CEH than L-PFOS alone and demonstrates the importance of considering the isomer-specific toxicological properties of PFOS when assessing exposure risk. Study 2: In many bird populations, concentrations of perfluoroundanoic acid (PFUdA) are second only to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) among perfluoroalkyl compounds. Here, we used microarrays to characterize the transcriptional response of cultured chicken embryonic hepatocytes (CEH) to PFUdA and compared it to the response induced by PFOS. At non-cytotoxic doses, PFUdA (1 or 10 ?M) disrupted the expression of more genes (854) than PFOS (447, at 10 or 40 ?M) in CEH. Using functional, pathway and interactome analysis we identified several potentially important modes-of-action (MoAs) for PFUdA and some associated key events, including the suppression of the acute-phase response (APR) through peroxisome proliferator activated receptor activation. We then measured the expression of five APR genes, fibrinogen alpha (fga), fibrinogen gamma (fgg), thrombin (f2), plasminogen (plg), and protein C (proC), in the liver of chicken embryos exposed in ovo to PFUdA. The expression of fga, f2, and proC were down-regulated in embryo livers (100 or 1000 ng/g, p<0.1) as predicted from microarray analysis, whereas fibrinogen gamma (fgg) was up-regulated and plg was not significantly affected. Our results demonstrate PFUdA is more transcriptionally disruptive than PFOS in CEH. Additionally, we identified APR suppression as a potentially important and environmentally relevant MoA. These findings suggest in ovo exposure of birds to PFUdA could lead to post-hatch developmental deficiencies, such as impaired immune response.
Project description:Humans and ecological species have been found to have detectable body burdens of a number of perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAA) including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). In mouse and rat liver these compounds elicit transcriptional and phenotypic effects similar to peroxisome proliferator chemicals (PPC) that work through the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha). Recent studies indicate that along with PPARalpha other nuclear receptors are required for transcriptional changes in the mouse liver after PFOA exposure including the constitutive activated receptor (CAR) and pregnane X receptor (PXR) that regulate xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (XME). To determine the potential role of CAR/PXR in mediating effects of PFAAs in rat liver, we performed a meta-analysis of transcript profiles from published studies in which rats were exposed to PFOA or PFOS. We compared the profiles to those produced by exposure to prototypical activators of CAR (Phenobarbital (PB)), PXR (pregnenolone 16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN)), or PPARalpha (WY-14,643 (WY)). As expected, PFOA and PFOS elicited transcript profile signatures that included many known PPARalpha target genes. Numerous XME genes were also altered by PFOA and PFOS but not WY. These genes exhibited expression changes shared with PB or PCN. Reexamination of the transcript profiles from the livers of chicken or fish exposed to PFAAs indicated that PPARalpha, CAR, and PXR orthologs were not activated. Our results indicate that PFAAs under these experimental conditions activate PPARalpha, CAR, and PXR in rats but not chicken and fish. Lastly, we discuss evidence that human populations with greater CAR expression have lower body burdens of PFAAs. Keywords: gene expression/microarray
Project description:Background: Previously, we reported that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) promotes liver cancer in manner similar to that of 17β-estradiol (E2) in rainbow trout. Also, other perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are weakly estrogenic in trout and bind the trout liver estrogen receptor (ER). Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to determine whether multiple PFAAs enhance hepatic tumorigenesis in trout, an animal model that represents human insensitivity to peroxisome proliferators. Methods: A two-stage chemical carcinogenesis model was employed in trout to evaluate PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (8:2FtOH) as complete carcinogens or promoters of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)- and/or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced liver cancer. A custom trout DNA microarray was used to assess hepatic transcriptional response to these dietary treatments in comparison to E2 and the classic peroxisome proliferator clofibrate (CLOF). Results: Incidence, multiplicity and size of liver tumors in trout fed diets containing E2, PFOA, PFNA and PFDA were significantly higher compared to AFB1-initiated animals fed control diet, whereas PFOS caused a minor increase in liver tumor incidence. E2 and PFOA also enhanced MNNG-initiated hepatocarcinogenesis. Pearson correlation analyses, unsupervised hierarchical clustering and principal components analyses showed that the hepatic gene expression profiles for E2 and PFOA, PFNA, PFDA and PFOS were overall highly similar, though distinct patterns of gene expression were evident for each treatment, particularly for PFNA. Conclusions: Overall, these data suggest that multiple PFAAs can promote liver cancer and that the mechanism of promotion may be similar to that for E2. A total of 40 samples were analyzed using a a dye-swap, reference sample hybridization protocol. Rainbow trout were exposed to the following experimental treatments via the diet for two weeks (number in parenthesis is assigned group #): (1) Control; (2) 5 mg/kg diet estradiol (E2); (3) 2000 mg/kg diet perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA); (4) 2000 mg/kg diet perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA); (5) 2000 mg/kg diet perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA); (6) 200 mg/kg diet perfluorooctane sulfonate; (7) 2000 mg/kg 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (FTOH); and (8) 2000 mg/kg diet clofibrate. A total of 40 total hepatic mRNA samples were analyzed using a dye-swap, reference sample hybridization protocol. A reference RNA pool was made by combining equal amounts of RNA from all control RNA samples, with one exception. A separate time-matched reference pool was utilized for group 6 samples (PFOS treatment). Five hybridizations were performed for each treatment group in the following pattern: Replicate A Cy5/Reference Cy3; Replicate A Cy3/Reference Cy 5; Replicate B Cy5/Reference Cy3; Replicate B Cy3/Reference Cy5; Replicate C Cy5/Reference Cy3. Thus, the experiment consisted of three biological replicates, for two of which were replicated technically.
Project description:Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has been manufactured for over 50 years in increasing quantities and has been used for several industrial and commercial aims. Due to the persistence and the bioaccumulation of this pollutant, it can be found worldwide in wildlife and humans. Biochemical effects of PFOS exposure are mainly studied in mammalian model species and information about effects on fish species remain largely scarce. This lack of toxicity data points out that there is an urgent need for the mechanistic molecular understanding of the mode of action of this pollutant. In the present study, common carp (Cyprinus carpio) was exposed through water for 14 days at concentrations of 0.1; 0.5 and 1 mg/l PFOS. Liver was selected as target tissue. Custom microarrays were constructed from cDNA libraries obtained with Suppression Subtractive Hybridization-Polymerase chain reaction (SSH-PCR) experiments. Microarray data revealed that the expression of several genes in the liver was influenced by PFOS exposure and real-time PCR was used to confirm these gene expression changes. The affected genes were mainly involved in energy metabolism, reproduction and stress response. Furthermore, the relative condition factor and the hepatosomatic index of the exposed fish were significantly lower after 14 days of exposure as well as the available glycogen reserves. At all levels of biological organization, indications of a trade-off between the metabolic cost of toxicant exposure on one hand and processes vital to the survival of the organism on the other hand were seen. Our results support the prediction that increases in energy expenditure negatively affects processes vital to the survival of an organism, such as growth. Keywords: PFOS, common carp, microarray, condition factor, energy reserves, metabolic cost There were 3 biological replicates for each exposure concentration. For each biological replicate control versus exposed hybridizations were carried out. The mean of the biological replicates was calculated for the differentially expressed genes.