Perfluorodecanesulfonate (PFDS) induces innate immune toxicity through the NF-κB pathway in early life stage zebrafish

作者：Chengwei Zhou, Wei Chen, Rongrong Xuan, Xinyuan Kang, Jiazhen Wang, Jason T. Magnuson, Jialin Li, Di Fang, Wenhui Qiu · 发表于：Environment International · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.envint.2025.109688 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research、Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact、Heme Oxygenase-1 and Carbon Monoxide

• Perfluorodecane sulfonate (PFDS) exhibits strong bioaccumulation potential in zebrafish larvae. • PFDS exposure disrupts immune cell numbers and immune parameters expression, emphasizing its immunotoxic effects on innate immunity. • PFDS-induced immunotoxicity is mediated by the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in zebrafish. • The immunotoxicity of PFDS to fish is greater than that of PFOS. Perfluorodecanesulfonate (PFDS), a long-chain polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), is widely detected in aquatic environments and increasingly recognized for its environmental persistence and bioaccumulative potential; however, its immunotoxicity remains poorly understood in aquatic biota. In this study, early life stage zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of PFDS and PFOS for 120 h to better characterize the adverse effects of PFDS on aquatic organisms. Additionally, the toxicological differences between PFDS and PFOS at the same exposure concentrations were compared, as PFDS is a known substitute for PFOS. PFDS bioaccumulated in zebrafish larvae at environmentally relevant concentrations, which disrupted immune function by altering the number of macrophages and neutrophils, inducing oxidative stress, and dysregulating immune markers such as interleukins and immunoglobulins. Mechanistically, PFDS activated the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, driving pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and immune dysfunction. Furtherm...