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The present cross-sectional study investigated 12 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in serum (n=79) and liver (n=66) samples from patients who had undergone liver transplantation for a range of conditions, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C viral infection (HCV), both HCC and HCV, amyloidosis or acute liver failure. PFAS data from patients were compared to those in control serum (n=25) samples from liver donors with no known liver disease and to those in control liver (n=9) tissues collected during liver resection surgery. All samples showed detectable PFOS (serum: 0.621-126. ng/mL; liver: 0.375-42.5. ng/g wet wt) and PFOA (serum: 0.437-45.5. ng/mL; liver: 0.101-2.25. ng/g wet wt) concentrations. In general, in paired serum and liver samples, serum had higher PFOS, PFHxS, PFDA, PFNA, and PFOA concentrations than those in explanted livers from patients. These findings also suggest that pathological changes in diseased livers alter the distribution of PFASs between liver and serum. The results from control serum (2007-2008) suggested that PFOS, PFHxS, PFOA, and PFNA concentrations were lower than those previously reported from Australia for 2002-2003, and 2006-2007. The present study demonstrates, for the first time, the detection and comparison of a range of PFASs in the liver of patients with liver cancer and/or liver cirrhosis., Funding Agency:National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Japan

A wide range of fluorinated alkyl compounds (FACs) has been reported in wildlife in various locations in the world. However, such information regarding Japanese wildlife is rarely found. In the present study, we investigated the occurrence of 21 FACs, including perfluorinated alkyl sulfonates (PFASs), perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs), and fluorotelomer acids, in the livers of 10 wild bird species from two regions in northern Japan. To avoid interferences, FACs were quantified by a recently developed method using acetonitrile and solid-phase extraction followed by an ion exchange HPLC column separation. Apart from perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which was found at the highest levels of all the compounds detected, several long chain perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs) from C8 to C16, particularly perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA) and perfluorohexadecanoic acid (PFHxDA), were detected for the first time. Additionally, 7:3 FTCA, a fluorotelomer acid, was also detected in most swan livers from Miyagi prefecture and all the birds from Tochigi prefecture. However, none of the sulfonamides and unsaturated telomer acids were detected in any species. Swans seem to be the least exposed wild birds to FACs among the investigated birds, signifying that feeding habits may reflect FAC accumulation in wild birds. The highest total concentration of detected FACs was 405ngg-1wet wt., which was found in a Japanese sparrowhawk, indicating that the top predatory wild birds can accumulate several long chain carboxylic acids. However, the current FAC concentrations found in livers may suggest that these compounds alone would not cause a severe toxic effect in these species.

Recent studies showed that perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) affects the mammalian immune system at levels reportedly found in the general human population. It has been demonstrated that exposure to immunotoxic chemicals may diminish the host resistance of animals to various pathogenic challenges and enhance mortality. Therefore, the current study was carried out to characterize the effect of a 21 day pre-administration of zero, 5, or 25 μg PFOS/kg bw/day in female B6C3F1 mice on host resistance to influenza A virus infection. At the end of PFOS exposure, body/organ weights did not significantly change whereas PFOS distribution in blood plasma, spleen, thymus and lung was dose-dependently increased. PFOS exposure in mice resulted a significant increase in emaciation and mortality in response to influenza A virus. The effective plasma concentrations in female mice were at least several fold lower than reported mean blood PFOS levels from occupationally exposed humans, and fell in the upper range of blood concentrations of PFOS in the normal human population and in a wide range of wild animals. Hence, it should be important to clarify the precise mechanism(s) for excess mortality observed in the high dose group.

A method for the analysis of perfluorinated compounds (perfluoroalkyl sulfonates: C4, C6, C8, C10; perfluoroalkyl sulfinates: C6, C8, C10; perfluorooctanesulfonamide, N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamide, N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetate, perfluorocarboxylates: C4–C14; fluorotelomer carboxylate (7:3, 8:2) in whole blood using acetonitrile and OASIS WAX® solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge was developed. Separation of target compounds in two HPLC columns (ion exchange JJ50-2D and C18 Betasil columns) was examined. Matrix recoveries of the developed methods ranged from 70% to 120%. Separation of possible inferences such as taurodeoxycholic acid (TDC) was accomplished using an ion exchange JJ50-2D column, and this separation was validated using whole blood of different animals., Funding Agency:City University of Hong Kong

The widespread occurrence and environmental persistence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) received worldwide attention recently. Exhaustive analysis of all fluorinated compounds in an environmental sample can be daunting because of the constraints in the availability of analytical standards and extraction methods. Combustion ion chromatographic technique for trace fluorine analysis was used to assess the concentrations of known PFCs (e.g., PFOS, PFOA) and total fluorine (TF) in the blood of wild rats collected from Japan. The technique was further validated using tissues from PFOA-exposed rats. Six PFCs (PFOS, PFOSA, PFUnDA, PFDA, PFNA, and PFOA) were detected in all of the wild rat blood samples. Concentrations of extractable organic fluorine (EOF) in fraction 1 (Fr1; MTBE extraction) of wild rats ranged 60.9-134 ng F mL-1, while those in fraction 2 (Fr2; hexane) were below LOQ (32 ng F mL-1); TF concentrations in the blood of wild rats ranged from 59.9-192 ng F mL-1. The contribution of known PFCs in EOF-Fr1 (MTBE) varied from 9% to 89% (56% on average), and known PFC concentrations in TF content were less than 25%. In contrast, TF concentrations in the blood of PFOA-exposed rats ranged from 46900 to 111000 ng F mL-1, with PFOA contributing over 90% of TF. A comparison of results from the samples analyzed in this study and the literature revealed three distinct groups with PFOA/known PFC and TF levels (i.e., wild rats and general population, occupationally exposed workers, and PFOA-exposed laboratory rats). The mass balance analysis of the different forms of fluorine in blood suggested the presence of other forms of organic fluorine in addition to known PFCs., Funding Agencies:City University Postgraduate Studentship City University of Hong Kong

The effects of PFOS and PFOA on the gene expression patterns of chickens that were exposed to either PFOS or PFOA at low doses were investigated with the use of microarray techniques. Twelve Genechip Chicken Genome Arrays were used to study hepatic gene expression in 6-week-old chickens (Gallus gallus) that were exposed to either PFOA (0.1, 0.5, or 5 mg/mL), PFOS (0.02 or 0.1 mg/mL), or a saline vehicle control (0.9% NaCl in Milli-Q water) via subcutaneous implantation of a 2 mL osmotic pump for 4 weeks or for 4 weeks with a further 4 weeks of depuration. Over 240 and 480 genes were significantly affected by PFOS after 4 weeks of exposure and after 4 weeks of exposure with a further 4 weeks of depuration, respectively and over 290 and 320 genes were significantly affected by PFOA, correspondingly. For PFOS, the genes that were affected after 4 weeks of exposure were mainly related to the transport of electrons and oxygen, and the metabolism of lipids and fatty acids; while the genes that were affected after 4 weeks of exposure with a further 4 weeks of depuration were mainly related to the transport of electrons and ions, and protein amino acid phosphorylation and proteolysis. For PFOA, the genes that were affected after 4 weeks of exposure were related to the transport of ions, lipids, and electrons and cytochromes; while the genes that were affected after 4 weeks of exposure with a further 4 weeks of depuration were related to protein amino acid phosphorylation and proteolysis, the transport of ions, and the metabolism of fatty acids and lipids. The results also showed that the gene expression patterns between chickens that were treated with PFOS and those that were treated with PFOA were different, which points to the importance of the separate evaluation of the toxicities of PFOS and PFOA. Specifically, the gene expressions of CYP8B and NOV were studied.