Impacts of sex and exposure duration on gene expression in zebrafish following perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a member of the anthropogenic class of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs), and is one of the most frequently detected PFAS in water, humans, mammals, and fish around the world. The zebrafish (Danio rerio), is a small freshwater fish considered an appropriate vertebrate model for investigating the toxicity of compounds. Previous investigations showed tissue-specific bioaccumulation and alterations in the expression of fatty acid binding proteins (fabps) in male and female zebrafish, potentially due to interactions between PFAS and fatty acid transporters. In addition, a number of neurological impacts have been reported as a result of human and animal exposure to PFAS. Therefore, this comprehensive study was designed to investigate whether PFOS exposure affects the expression of genes associated with fatty acid metabolism (fabp1a, fabp2, and fabp10a) in zebrafish liver, intestine, heart, and ovary and genes involved in the nervous system (ChAT, ngf, bdnf, AChE, and hdac6) in brain and muscle. Results indicate alterations in expression of genes associated with fatty acid metabolism and neural function that vary with both exposure concentration and sex. Additionally, our findings highlight that the expression of these genes differ according to exposure duration. Our results extend the knowledge base on PFOS effects to other tissues less often studied than the liver. The findings of this investigation provide a basis for future studies on the potential risks of PFOS as one of the most abundant PFAS in the environment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.