Effects of a Forever Chemical on Arterial Blood Pressure and End-Organ Damage in Rats
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants linked to hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in humans; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. This study’s purpose was to assess the effects of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a legacy PFAS, on arterial blood pressure (BP) and end-organ damage in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. We hypothesized that administration of PFOA for 4 weeks causes hypertension and kidney damage in SD rats. Rats (10-13-week-old, n=12) were instrumented with a radiotelemeter (DSI) to measure BP and heart rate (HR). One week later, baseline BP (500 Hz, 24 hrs/day for two days) and proteinuria were assessed. One group of rats was administered PFOA via drinking water (10mg/kg/day, n=8) while another group was maintained on regular tap water (vehicle, n=4) for 28 days. BP was measured weekly, proteinuria at 2 and 4 weeks, and tissues were harvested at the end of the experiment. A 2-way repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test was used to assess differences between groups over time. An unpaired T-test was used to assess differences in organ weights between groups. All data are mean ± SE, and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The percent increase in body weight (BW) was significantly attenuated in rats administered PFOA (9±2%) vs. vehicle (19±2%). Despite the lower BW in the PFOA group, kidney and liver weights were 34% and 89% greater (P<0.05) as compared to the vehicle group. There were no significant differences in the percent change in BP over time between groups. In contrast, the percent change in HR significantly differed between PFOA (3±1%) and vehicle (-8±1%) groups. A moderately high dose of PFOA for 4 weeks in SD rats leads to significant increases in kidney and liver weight without altering arterial BP. The extent of PFOA-induced kidney and liver injury is being assessed.
Start Time
16-4-2025 9:00 AM
End Time
16-4-2025 11:30 AM
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Category
Health
Student Type
Undergraduate Student
Faculty Mentor
Aaron Polichnowski
Faculty Department
Biomedical Sciences
Effects of a Forever Chemical on Arterial Blood Pressure and End-Organ Damage in Rats
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants linked to hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in humans; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. This study’s purpose was to assess the effects of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a legacy PFAS, on arterial blood pressure (BP) and end-organ damage in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. We hypothesized that administration of PFOA for 4 weeks causes hypertension and kidney damage in SD rats. Rats (10-13-week-old, n=12) were instrumented with a radiotelemeter (DSI) to measure BP and heart rate (HR). One week later, baseline BP (500 Hz, 24 hrs/day for two days) and proteinuria were assessed. One group of rats was administered PFOA via drinking water (10mg/kg/day, n=8) while another group was maintained on regular tap water (vehicle, n=4) for 28 days. BP was measured weekly, proteinuria at 2 and 4 weeks, and tissues were harvested at the end of the experiment. A 2-way repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test was used to assess differences between groups over time. An unpaired T-test was used to assess differences in organ weights between groups. All data are mean ± SE, and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The percent increase in body weight (BW) was significantly attenuated in rats administered PFOA (9±2%) vs. vehicle (19±2%). Despite the lower BW in the PFOA group, kidney and liver weights were 34% and 89% greater (P<0.05) as compared to the vehicle group. There were no significant differences in the percent change in BP over time between groups. In contrast, the percent change in HR significantly differed between PFOA (3±1%) and vehicle (-8±1%) groups. A moderately high dose of PFOA for 4 weeks in SD rats leads to significant increases in kidney and liver weight without altering arterial BP. The extent of PFOA-induced kidney and liver injury is being assessed.