Toxicological effects of perfluoroalkyl acids on pregnant female mice

Abstract EN

Per fluorinated compounds (PFCS), such as perflurooctane suffocate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have been used for various industrial applications for over 50 years.

In this study 160 pregnant dams were subjected to this study ; Dams were divided into two main equal groups, PFOS and PFOA groups.

Each group was subdivided into two groups, treated group (60 dams) and control group (20 dams).

Both treated groups where re-divided into three equal groups.

Dams in the first group were treated with PFOS in dosage of 1, 10 or 20 mg / kg b.

w., while dams in the second group were treated with PFOA in dosage of 1, 5 or 10 mg / kg b.

w.

Control group was received an equivalent volume of deionized water.

Maternal body weight, food consumption and water intake were monitored daily throughout gestation period.

Ten dams of each subgroup were treated from gestation day (GD) 0 till GD17, At GD18, blood samples were collected and serum samples were obtained for determination of Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Gamma glut amyl transferase (GGT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, total bilirubin, total protein, albumin, globulins, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, glucose, triglycerides, phospholipids, total cholesterol, non esterifies fatty acids, hydroxyl butyric acid and serum leptin concentration.

Maternal liver, kidneys, lungs and brain were dissected and weighed ; the organ / body weight ratio was calculated to obtain the relative organ weight and then kept for histopathological examination..

A portion of the liver was dissected and used immediately for comet assay.

Results revealed significant reduction in maternal weight gain and daily feed consumption after exposure to 20 mg / kg b.

w.

PFOS and 10 mg / kg b.

w.

PFOA.

Daily water intake was significantly increased after exposure to 20 mg / kg PFOS and 5 mg / kg PFOA in late gestation.

There were significant increases in the absolute and relative weight of the maternal liver in a dose dependent manner associated with hypertrophy of hepatic cells after exposure to both of PFOS and PFOA, and significant increase in the relative lung and brain weight after exposure to PFOS at 20 mg / kg group.

Relative kidney weight was significantly increased after exposure to PFOA.

Serum lipids, protein and leptin levels were significantly decreased after exposure to PFOS and PFOA at 20 mg / kg b.

w.

and 10 mg / kg b.

w.

respectively.

In addition, exposure to PFOA resulted in significant increases in serum GGT, AST, ALP activities.

PFOS treatment induced DNA damage in maternal liver at 10 and 20 mg / kg groups.

However, exposure to PFOA induced DNA damage at 10 mg / kg.

From the previous results we can conclude that PFOS and PFOA have toxic effects on the pregnant mice and PFOA recorded the most toxic one.

Further study will be carried on featuses and newnates.