In this study, mature 8-week old male CD-1 mice were administered 0, 1, 5 or 10 mg/kg/day PFOS for 3, 7, 14 or 21 days. Histological analysis of liver sections, and biochemical/molecular analysis of biomarkers for hepatic lipid metabolism were assessed.
PFOS-induced steatosis was observed in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The gene expression levels of fatty acid translocase (FAT/CD36) and lipoprotein lipase (Lpl) were significantly increased by 10 and/or 5 mg/kg PFOS. Serum levels of very-low density lipoprotein were decreased by 14 days of PFOS exposure (p < 0.05). The rate of mitochondrial 尾-oxidation was also found to be significantly reduced, leading to the restriction of fatty acid oxidation for energy production.
Taken together, the disturbance of lipid metabolism leads to the accumulation of excessive fatty acids and triglycerides in hepatocytes.
Since PFOS-elicited pathological manifestation resembles one of the most common human liver diseases鈥攏onalcoholic fatty liver disease, environmental exposure to PFOS may attribute to the disease progression.