High-dose dietary exposure of mice to perfluorooctanoate or perfluorooctane sulfonate exerts toxic effects on myeloid and B-lymphoid cells in the bone marrow and these effects are partially dependent on reduced food consumption

It is well established that exposure of mice to perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exerts adverse effects on the thymus and spleen. Here, we characterize the effects of a 10-day dietary treatment with these compounds (0.001–0.02%, w/w) on the bone marrow (BM) of mice. At a dose of 0.02%, both compounds reduced food consumption and caused atrophy of the thymus and spleen. At this same dose, histopathological and flow cytometric analysis revealed that (i) the total numbers of BM as well as the numbers of myeloid, pro/pre B, immature B and early mature B cells were all reduced significantly; and (ii) these adverse effects were reversed either partially or completely 10 days after withdrawal of these compounds. At the lower dose of 0.002%, only PFOA reduced the B-lymphoid cell population. Finally, mice fed an amount of diet equivalent to that consumed by the animals exposed to 0.02% PFOA also exhibited atrophy of the thymus and spleen, and a reduction in the number of B-lymphoid population, without affecting myeloid cells. Thus, in mice, immunotoxic doses of PFOA or PFOS induce adverse effects on the myeloid and B-lymphoid cells in the BM, in part as a consequence of reduced food consumption.