Transcriptomic effects of environmentally-relevant levels of Perfluoralkyl acids on Serinus canaria adipose tissue.
Perfluoralkyl acids (PFAS) have been regarded as a global pollutant from at least twenty years, with potentially negative physiological effects on multiple vertebrate species. Here we analyzed the effects of the administration of environmentally-relevant levels of PFAS on caged Serinus canaria by using a combination of physiological, immunological and transcriptomic analyses. While we observed no effects on physiological and immunological parameters (e.g, body weight, fat index, cell-mediated immunity) the transcriptome of the pectoral fatty tissue showed changes compatible with the known effects of PFAs as obesogens, as seen for other vertebrates, particularly in mammals. While we consider that these results exemplify the ability of transcriptomic analyses of detecting physiological responses to toxicants at their very early stages, we interpret them as indicating a potential hazard of environmental concentrations of PFAs on the fat metabolism and the immunological system of birds. As these two functions are essential for the survival of the animals during, for example, migration, this could be a warning to control environmental levels of these substances.