title: Exposure to perfluorinated compounds: in vitro study on thyroid cells.
abstract: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are widely used perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs). Previous studies detected PFOA and PFOS in human tissues including the thyroid gland. There are no studies on the in vitro effects of PFOA and PFOS on thyroid cells. Our study was aimed at evaluating the effect of the in vitro exposure to PFOA and PFOS on thyroid cell proliferation and viability. These objectives were investigated using Fisher rat thyroid line-5 (FRTL-5) cells. FRTL-5 cells cultured in the presence of PFOA and PFOS at concentrations up to 10(4) nM do not display changes in their viability and proliferation rate, while at a concentration of 10(5) nM of either PFCs, a significant inhibition of cell proliferation, mainly due to increased cell death, was found. PFOA and PFOS were detected in FRTL-5 cell pellets after 72 h of incubation with PFCs but not in control cultures. When FRTL-5 were incubated with PFCs then washed in PBS and re-cultured for 72 h without PFCs in the medium, no detectable concentrations of PFOA and PFOS were measured in the cell pellet. This indicates that PFOA and PFOS enter thyroid cells by a gradient-based passive diffusion mechanism. Future studies are required to evaluate the potential toxic effect resulting from prolonged in vivo exposure to even lower concentrations of PFCs.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri I.R.C.C.S., Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors and Chair of Endocrinology University of Pavia, Via S. Maugeri 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coperchini
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pignatti
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lacerenza
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Negri
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sideri
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Testoni
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Martinis
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cottica
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magri
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imbriani
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rotondi
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiovato
mesh_terms: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002210:Caprylates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid