In vitro assessment of the cytotoxic and mutagenic potential of perfluorooctanoic acid.
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a perfluorinated compound ubiquitously detected in the environment, including wildlife and humans. Despite the available information, research on the cytotoxicity of PFOA in non-tumoral mammalian cells is relatively limited. In this work, two in vitro toxicity systems were employed to provide further insight into the cytotoxic and mutagenic potential of PFOA. The cytotoxicity of the chemical towards Vero cells was assessed using biochemical and morphological parameters, while mutagenicity was evaluated according to Ames test. High doses of PFOA cause oxidative stress in Vero cells, that was closely linked to cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase and induction of apoptosis. Our results corroborate previous findings in human tumoral cells and suggest that the mode of action of this perfluorinated compound is not a peculiarity among mammalian cell types. On the other hand, the compound was not mutagenic in the Ames test, using four strains of Salmonella typhimurium in the presence or absence of rat S9 metabolic activation system.
Fernández Freire
P
P
Departamento de Biología, Edificio de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin, 2, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
Pérez Martin
J M
JM
Herrero
O
O
Peropadre
A
A
de la Peña
E
E
Hazen
M J
MJ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002210:Caprylates / Q000633:toxicity*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D005562:Formazans; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000187:drug effects; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D014709:Vero Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D002210:Caprylates; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D005562:Formazans; D009153:Mutagens; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; C079782:MTT formazan; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid