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Sub-chronic effect of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) on the balance of type 1 and type 2 cytokine in adult C57BL6 mice

  • Molecular Toxicology
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Abstract

As a ubiquitous and highly persistent environmental contaminant, the clear mechanisms to explain any perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS)-induced immunotoxicity are still unknown. This study here sought to examine the ability of PFOS to potentially perturb T-helper (TH)-1 and TH-2 cell cytokine secreting activities, as well as to cause shifts in antibody isotype levels, and possible mechanisms involved in PFOS-induced immunotoxicity. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were exposed to PFOS daily via gavage for 60 days [0, 0.5, 1, 5, 25, or 50 mg/kg total administered dose (TAD)]. One day after the final exposure, the ex vivo production of the TH1-type cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-γ), TH2-type (IL-4), and IL-10 cytokines by isolated splenocytes, serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) were assessed via ELISA or ELISPOT. The results showed that IL-4 secretion was increased at exposure ≥5 mg PFOS/kg TAD in a dose-dependent manner. PFOS exposure increased IL-10 but decreased IL-2 and IFN-γ formation markedly at 50 mg PFOS/kg TAD. Serum levels of sheep red blood cells (SRBC)-specific IgM synthesis decreased significantly with PFOS exposure in a dose-related manner; serum SRBC-specific IgG, IgG1, and IgE levels increased with 50 mg PFOS/kg TAD regimens. These results indicated that, after a long-term exposure to PFOS, a host’s immune state is likely to be characterized by a shift toward a more TH2-like state that, in turn, may lead to enhancement of their humoral response and suppression of their cellular response at levels of upper range for occupationally exposed workers or approximately 150-fold for general human population.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20707041), the Liaoning Province Science and Technology Foundation (2009225010-6), and the Education Department Foundation (L2010706).

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors are alone responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health, China Medical University, North 2nd Road, 110001, Heping Districts, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China

    Guang-Hui Dong, Miao-Miao Liu, Da Wang & Yi-He Jin

  2. Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, 110001, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China

    Li Zheng & Zai-Fu Liang

  3. School of Environmental and Biological Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, 116024, Dalian, China

    Yi-He Jin

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  1. Guang-Hui Dong
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  2. Miao-Miao Liu
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  4. Li Zheng
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  5. Zai-Fu Liang
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  6. Yi-He Jin
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Correspondence to Guang-Hui Dong or Yi-He Jin.

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Dong, GH., Liu, MM., Wang, D. et al. Sub-chronic effect of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) on the balance of type 1 and type 2 cytokine in adult C57BL6 mice. Arch Toxicol 85, 1235–1244 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-011-0661-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-011-0661-x

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