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Carcinogenic potency of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) on Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells

  • Genotoxicity and Carcinogenicity
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Abstract

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is the degradation product of many fluoroderivatives and a widespread environmental contaminant. Its persistence, its long half-life in humans and its toxicity explain high concerns on human health side effects in future. PFOS is suspected to be a non-genotoxic carcinogen. In the present work, we assessed carcinogenic potential of PFOS by studying morphological transformation in Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells; cell transformation of SHE cells is an in vitro assay recommended by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to detect carcinogens, genotoxic or not. Genotoxicity of PFOS and expression of PPARs genes in SHE cells were also measured. PFOS was shown to induce cell transformation (P < 0.05) at non-cytotoxic concentrations (0.2 and 2 μg/mL) (P ≤ 0.01). No genotoxic effect was recorded in the range of PFOS concentrations tested (2 × 10−4 to 50 μg/mL) using the single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay after 5 and 24 h of exposure. The expression of PPARs genes was measured by qPCR within the first 24 h and after 7 days of PFOS treatment. Results indicated an increased expression of ppar-β/δ isoform as early as 24 h. After 7 days, the increase of ppar-β/δ mRNA was significant at the concentrations inducing cell transformation (0.2 and 2 μg/mL), while overexpression of ppar-γ and ppar-α did not closely relate to effective concentrations. The results indicate that PFOS behave as a non-genotoxic carcinogen and impacted PPARs genes. Its cell transforming potential paralleled an increased expression of ppar-β/δ.

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Acknowledgments

This study was granted by Region Lorraine, Ministry of Research within CPER Research Program in France, and Fonds Européen de Développement Regional (FEDER). The authors are grateful to Dr. Ennen-Simard and her colleagues from the “Thionville Bel Air Hospital, Department Oncology-Radiotherapy-Curietherapy” for the irradiation of SHE feeder cells. The authors warmly thank Marc Bonnard, Ph.D. and Claudine Rast, research engineer for assistance and advices in the Comet and CTA assays. They acknowledge Carole Klein for her help in revising the English of the manuscript.

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  1. CNRS UMR 7146, Laboratory Interactions Ecotoxicology Biodiversity Ecosystems (LIEBE), University of Metz, Rue du General Delestraint, 57070, Metz, France

    N. Jacquet, M. A. Maire, Y. Landkocz & P. Vasseur

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  1. N. Jacquet
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  2. M. A. Maire
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  3. Y. Landkocz
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Correspondence to N. Jacquet.

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Jacquet, N., Maire, M.A., Landkocz, Y. et al. Carcinogenic potency of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) on Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells. Arch Toxicol 86, 305–314 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-011-0752-8

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