title: Chronic exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate induces behavior defects and neurotoxicity through oxidative damages, in vivo and in vitro.
abstract: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is an emerging persistent pollutant which shows multiple adverse health effects. However, the neurotoxicity of PFOS and its mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Using a combination of in vivo and in vitro methods, the present study provides a detailed description of PFOS-induced neurotoxicity. Results showed that the median lethal concentration of PFOS was 2.03 mM in Caenorhabditis elegans for 48 h exposure. 20 µM PFOS caused decrease of locomotor behaviors including forward movement, body bend and head thrash. Additionally, PFOS exposure reduced chemotaxis index of C. elegans, which indicates the decline of chemotaxis learning ability. Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) labelled transgenic strains, we found that PFOS caused down-regulated expression of a chemoreceptor gene, gcy-5, in ASE chemosensory neurons, but did not affect cholinergic neurons and dopaminergic neurons. In SH-SY5Y cells, 48 h exposure to 25 µM and 50 µM PFOS induced cell damage, apoptosis and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. PFOS caused significant increases of lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase activity, but an actual decrease of glutathione peroxidase activity. Furthermore, antioxidant N-acetylcysteine rescued cells from PFOS-induced apoptosis via blocking ROS. Our results demonstrate that chronic exposure to PFOS can cause obvious neurotoxicity and behavior defects. Oxidative damage and anti-oxidative deficit are crucial mechanisms in neurotoxicity of PFOS.
authors.affiliation: Lab of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Lab of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Lab of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Lab of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yongsheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Lab of Toxicology, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Defu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000111:Acetylcysteine