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DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY OF PERFLUOROOCATANE SULFONATE (PFOS) IN THE RAT AND MOUSE
Citation:
Lau, C S., J M. Rogers, R. G. Hanson, B D. Barbee, M G. Narotsky, J E. Schmid, AND J. H. Richards. DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY OF PERFLUOROOCATANE SULFONATE (PFOS) IN THE RAT AND MOUSE. Presented at Teratology Society Meeting, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, June 23-28, 2001.
Description:
1Lau, C., 1J.M. Rogers, 1R.G. Hanson*, 1B.D. Barbee*, 1M.G. Narotsky, 1J.E. Schmid* and 2J.H. Richards*. 1Reproductive Toxicology Division, and 2Environmental Toxicology Division, NHEERL, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Developmental toxicity of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) in the rat and mouse.
PFOS, a compound in a class of organic fluorochemicals that is widely used as surfactants and to a lesser extent, insecticides, was evaluated for developmental toxicity in laboratory rodents. Timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats and CD-1 mice were given either 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg PFOS (potassium salt) by gavage daily beginning on GD 2 until term. Controls received 0.5% Tween-20 vehicle (1 ml/kg). Half of the animals were sacrificed on GD 21 (rat) or GD 17 (mouse) for teratological examination, the remaining dams were allowed to deliver and postnatal growth and viability were monitored. In rats, significant deficits of maternal weight gain were seen in the 5 and 10 mg/kg PFOS groups. Lower maternal serum cholesterol and triglycerides were noted at 10 mg/kg, but liver weights were unaffected. Lower fetal weight, cleft palate and anasarca were detected in the 10 mg/kg group. Live birth was observed in all treatment groups; however, neonates in the 10 mg/kg group were moribund and all died within 4-6 h. While pups in the 5 mg/kg group were born alive and appeared lively, >95% were found dead within 24 h. Among the few survivors, marked growth retardation (30%) was seen in the first week of life. In mice, PFOS did not alter the maternal weight gain appreciably, although liver weight of the dams were markedly elevated in the 5 and 10 mg/kg groups (127% and 174% of controls, respectively). In contrast to the rats, only serum triglycerides were reduced in the 5 and 10 mg/kg groups in the mice. PFOS did not significantly affect the mouse fetal weight, although the incidence of fetal mortality was slightly increased in the 10 mg/kg group. PFOS also did not significantly alter the litter size, but a persistent reduction of neonatal body weight (15-20%) was found in the 10 mg/kg group in the first three days of life. These results indicate both maternal and developmental toxicity of PFOS in rats and mice, although the response sensitivity differs between these two species. This abstract does not reflect EPA policy.