title: Perfluorononanoic acid-induced apoptosis in rat spleen involves oxidative stress and the activation of caspase-independent death pathway.
abstract: Perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA)-induced apoptosis has been reported in many cell types. However, minimal information on its mode of action is available. This study explored the possible involvement of apoptotic signaling pathways in a nine-carbon-chain length PFAA-perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)-induced splenocyte apoptosis. After a 14-day exposure to PFNA, rat spleens showed dose-dependent levels of apoptosis. The production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines was significantly increased and decreased, respectively. However, protein levels of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1), fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD), caspase 8 and caspase 3, which are involved in inflammation-related and caspase-dependent apoptosis, were discordant. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha (PPARalpha) and PPARgamma genes expression was up-regulated in rats treated with 3 or 5 mg/kg/day of PFNA, and the level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) increased concurrently in rats treated with the highest dose. Moreover, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and Bcl-2 protein levels were dramatically decreased in spleens after treatment with 3 and 5 mg/kg/day of PFNA. However, protein levels of Bax were unchanged. Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), an initiator of caspase-independent apoptosis, was significantly increased in all PFNA-dosed rats. Thus, oxidative stress and the activation of a caspase-independent apoptotic signaling pathway contributed to PFNA-induced apoptosis in rat splenocytes.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, PR China.
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yixing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jianshe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiayin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D047492:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D047492:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors; C101816:perfluoro-n-nonanoic acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase