Transcriptomic Changes in Liver of Juvenile Cynoglossus Semilaevis Following Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) Exposure.

Abstract

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is an increasingly important environmental pollutant that is pervasive in the environment. A number of studies have focused on the toxicological effects of PFOS on model fish species (zebrafish and medaka), however, little is known about the impact of PFOS on commercially important marine fish. Thus, the present study examined transcriptome responses to PFOS exposure in the liver of juvenile Cynoglossus semilaevis, an important farmed flatfish in China. Then, 1,695 and 5,244 genes in response to PFOS challenge were identified as significantly increased and depressed, respectively. Significant expression changes were observed in immune-related genes (cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, Th17 cell differentiation and the chemokine, NF-kappa B and T cell receptor signaling pathways), indicating that immunotoxicity is a key part of the effects of PFOS on C. semilaevis. Exposure to PFOS also altered the gene expression levels of hormones (inhibin, insulin, somatostatin, and glucagon) that could lead to severe metabolic and endocrine dysfunction. As expected from previous studies, several phase I and phase II detoxification enzymes were significantly upregulated, which could facilitate the biotransformation and detoxification of PFOS in C. semilaevis. The current study provides new insights regarding the molecular toxicology of PFOS in a commercially important fish species. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.