PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID (IN THE PRESENCE OF FETAL BOVINE SERUM) INDUCES PROLIFERATION IN ERa POSTIVE AND ERa NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER CELL LINE

Abstract

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a synthetic chemical belonging to a larger group of fluorotelomers. These compounds have been used in the production of both industrial and consumer products as surfactants and are environmentally persistent pollutants. While the long-term effects of PFOA are largely unknown, there is increasing evidence suggesting it to be an endocrine disruptor. Studies have shown that PFOA binds to and activates peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor ? (PPAR?), which can regulate the expression of other genes and receptors. Previous experiments in our lab demonstrated that PFOA treatment of MCF-7 breast cancer cells (an ER?-positive cell line) decreased expression of ER? mRNA and protein, and decreased cell viability by ~20% within 48h of treatment compared to DMSO controls. However, these cells were treated in the absence of fetal bovine serum (FBS).� When we repeated these experiments without serum withdrawal, we initially noted a tendency towards increased proliferation in MCF-7 cells treated with 50�M and 100�M PFOA at both 24h and 48h compared to control. To further examine the role of ER? in this PFOA-induced proliferation, we carried out additional experiments in MCF-7 cells along with experiments in another ER?-positive cell line, T47D, as well as an ER?-negative cell line, MDA-MB-23.