The induction of peroxisome proliferation in rat liver by perfluorinated fatty acids, metabolically inert derivatives of fatty acids.

The induction of peroxisome proliferation in rat liver was examined after administration of perfluoro-n-decanoic acid (PFDA, C10), perfluoro-n-octanoic acid (PFOA, C8), perfluoro-n-butyric acid (PFBA, C4), 1-H,1-H-pentadecafluoro-n-octanol (PFOL, C8) perfluorododecane (PFD, C12), and perfluorooctane (PFO, C8). The peroxisome proliferation in the liver was detected by the following methods; 1) measurement of liver weight, 2) assay of hepatic catalase activity, 3) analysis of 600 X g supernatant of liver homogenates by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to observe the induction of the bifunctional enoyl-CoA hydratase in peroxisomes (80K-protein) and 4) observation by electron microscopy. The oral administration of powdered chow containing 0.02%-PFOA and PFBA to male rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain for 2 weeks and the single intraperitoneal injection of corn oil mixed with PFDA, PFOA, and PFOL at the dose of 100 mg/kg induced peroxisome proliferation markedly. PFOL, which has two hydrogen atoms around the hydroxylated carbon, should be metabolized to PFOA, which is an active inducer. Perfluorinated paraffins, PFD and PFO, did not show any induction, indicating the importance of the carboxylic group in the molecule for the peroxisome proliferation. Although the participation of thyroid hormone cannot be excluded, PFOA appears to act directly on the liver.