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Effects of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) co-exposure on phase I biotransformation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry volume 48, pages 925–935 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

The presence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the environment, especially in aquatic ecosystems, continues to be a significant concern for human and environmental health. Previous studies have suggested that several PFASs do not undergo biotransformation due to their chemical stability, yet perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)- and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)-exposed organisms have presented altered activity of important biotransformation pathways. Given the fundamental role of biotransformation in biological organisms and the significant distribution of PFAS in aquatic environments, the present study investigated the influence of PFOA and PFOS on phase I biotransformation enzymes in vitro using the rainbow trout liver RTL-W1 cell line and in vivo using juvenile rainbow trout. Cells and fish were exposed and co-exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), for 72 h and 10 days, respectively, prior to measurements of cytotoxicity and biotransformation ability through measurements of CYP1A1-, CYP1A2-, and CYP3A4-like activities. Our results indicate that exposure to PFAS-BaP binary mixtures altered CYP1A-like activity in vivo; however, those alterations were not observed in vitro. Similarly, while BaP did not significantly induce CYP3A4 in vivo, exposure to the PFAS led to significantly lower enzymatic activity relative to basal levels. These observations may have implications for organisms simultaneously exposed to PFASs and other environmental pollutants for which biotransformation is necessary, especially in detoxification mechanisms. Furthermore, the interference with biotransformation pathways could potentially predispose exposed organisms to a compromised physiology, which may increase their vulnerability to other stressors and erode their survival fitness.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Matteo Minghetti from Oklahoma State University for kindly providing the RTL-W1 cell line and Professor Niels C. Bols from the University of Waterloo for kindly allowing the use of this cell line.

Funding

This research was funded by the C. Gus Glasscock, Jr. Fund of Excellence in Environmental Sciences at Baylor University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97266, Waco, TX, 76798, USA

    Megan E. Solan, Marco E. Franco & Ramon Lavado

Authors
  1. Megan E. Solan
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  2. Marco E. Franco
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  3. Ramon Lavado
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Megan E. Solan and Marco E. Franco. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Megan E. Solan and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ramon Lavado.

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Solan, M.E., Franco, M.E. & Lavado, R. Effects of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) co-exposure on phase I biotransformation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Fish Physiol Biochem 48, 925–935 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-022-01093-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-022-01093-1

Keywords

  • Biotransformation
  • Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
  • Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
  • In vivo
  • In vitro
  • Rainbow trout
  • RTL-W1