Hepatocellular hypertrophy and cell proliferation in Sprague-Dawley rats from dietary exposure to potassium perfluorooctanesulfonate results from increased expression of xenosensor nuclear receptors PPAR alpha and CAR/PXR

The present study investigated the potential role for activation of PPAR alpha and CAR/PXR by potassium PFOS (K+PFOS) with respect to the etiology of hepatic hypertrophy and hepatocellular adenoma in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed K+PFOS (20 or 100 ppm) for either 1, 7, or 28 days. Wyeth 14,643 (Wy 14,643, 50 ppm) and phenobarbital (PB, 500 ppm) were the controls for PPAR alpha and CAR/PXR activation, respectively. Measurements included: plasma ALT, AST, cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose; liver protein and DNA content; liver activities of palmitoyl CoA oxidase (ACOX), Cyp4A, CYP2B, and CYP3A; induction of liver CYP4A1, CYP2E1, CYP2B1/2, and CYP3A1 proteins (SDS-PAGE and Western blots); liver and thyroid microscopic histopathology, apoptotic index, and cell proliferation index. Terminal body weight was decreased by K+PFOS (100 ppm) and Wy 14,643. All test-compound treatments increased liver weight. Plasma lipids were decreased by both PFOS and Wy 14,643. After treatment for 1 day, K+PFOS (100 ppm), PB, and Wy 14,643 increased mean hepatic DNA concentration and total hepatic DNA, and total DNA remained elevated after treatment for 7 days and 28 days (PB and Wy 14,643 only). Hepatic P450 concentration was elevated after 7 and 28 days by K+PFOS and by PB. K+PFOS and Wy 14,643 increased liver activities of ACOX and CYP4A as well as increased liver CYP4A1 protein. By 28 days of treatment, K+PFOS and PB increased liver activities of CYP2B and CYP3A as well as increased liver CYP2B1/2 and CYP3A1 proteins, and Wy 14,643 increased CYP2B enzyme activity to a slight extent. All test compounds increased the liver cell proliferative index and decreased the liver apoptotic index. No histological Changes of the thyroid were noted; however, PB and WY increased thyroid follicular cell proliferation index (seven-day treatment only), while K+PFOS did not. The thyroid follicular cell apoptotic index did not differ between groups. The hepatomegaly and hepatocellular adenoma observed after dietary exposure of Sprague-Dawley rats to K+PFOS likely are due to the increased expression of xenosensor nuclear receptors PPAR alpha and CAR/PXR. Given the markedly lower or absent response of human hepatocytes to the proliferative stimulus from activation of PPAR alpha and CAR/PXR, the hepatocellular proliferative response from activation of these receptors by PFOS observed in rats is not expected to be of human relevance. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.