PUBLICATION

Comparison of zebrafish in vitro and in vivo developmental toxicity assessments of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs)

Authors
Wasel, O., Thompson, K.M., Gao, Y., Godfrey, A.E., Gao, J., Mahapatra, C.T., Lee, L.S., SepĂșlveda, M.S., Freeman, J.L.
ID
ZDB-PUB-201120-17
Date
2020
Source
Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A   84(3): 125-136 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Freeman, Jennifer
Keywords
PFAS, PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFOA
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Caproates/toxicity*
  • Caprylates/toxicity*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effects
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/embryology
  • Embryonic Development/drug effects
  • Fluorocarbons/toxicity*
  • Sulfonic Acids/toxicity*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity*
  • Zebrafish*/embryology
  • Zebrafish*/growth & development
PubMed
33143551 Full text @ J. Toxicol. Environ. Health. A.
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are persistent environmental contaminants that are associated with various adverse health outcomes. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is one of the most prominently detected PFAAs in the environment, which is now replaced with shorter chain carbon compounds including perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorobutyric acid (PFBA). The aim of this study was to compare the toxicity of four PFAAs as a function of chain length and head group (carboxylate versus sulfonate) with in vitro and in vivo zebrafish assessments, which were subsequently compared to other cell and aquatic models. Mortality rate increased with chain length (PFOA > PFHxA ≫ PFBA) in both whole embryo/larvae and embryonic cell models. The sulfonate group enhanced toxicity with perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) showing higher toxicity than PFBA and PFHxA in both larvae and cells. Toxicity trends were similar among different aquatic models, but sensitivities varied. Discrepancies with other zebrafish studies were confirmed to be associated with a lack of neutralization of acidic pH of dosing solutions in these other investigations, demonstrating the need for rigor in reporting pH of exposure solutions in all experiments. The zebrafish embryonic cell line was also found to be similar to most other cell lines regardless of exposure length. Overall, results agree with findings in other cell lines and organisms where longer chain length and sulfonate group increase toxicity, except in investigations not neutralizing the exposure solutions for these acidic compounds.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping