Novel insights into the distribution and effects of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in the nervous system of a frog tadpole model by mass spectrometry imaging

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dc.contributor.authorPoulsen, Rikke
dc.contributor.authorField, Emma M.
dc.contributor.authorJackson, Angela M.
dc.contributor.authorKuecks-Winger, Haley
dc.contributor.authorThambirajah, Anita A.
dc.contributor.authorGoodlett, David R.
dc.contributor.authorHelbing, Caren C.
dc.contributor.authorPětrošová, Helena
dc.date.accessioned2026-05-07T17:31:18Z
dc.date.available2026-05-07T17:31:18Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.description.abstractDetermining how environmental contaminants localize within tissues is essential for understanding the consequences of sublethal exposures. Therefore, we optimized a mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) workflow to study the distribution and biological effects of contaminants in an environmentally relevant frog tadpole model. We applied the method to the entire tadpole head postexperimental exposure to the legacy contaminant, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS; 0.1–100 ?g/L, 48 h). At 10 ?g/L, PFOS unexpectedly localized mainly to the olfactory epithelium. At 100 ?g/L, PFOS was distributed throughout all tissues except for the brain, where only the pineal gland showed significant accumulation. The pineal gland, a neuroendocrine organ regulating the circadian rhythm, is not protected by the blood–brain barrier. Together, these findings indicate that PFOS did not readily cross the blood–brain barrier. In both the olfactory epithelium and pineal gland, effects of PFOS were reflected in changes in the abundances of endogenous lipids. The results open questions for the most adverse outcomes of PFOS exposure, including effects on the olfactory-mediated behavior and circadian rhythm. The present study exemplifies how MSI advances our analytical toolbox. The ability to localize contaminants within biological compartments is critical for the characterization of their toxic effects and risks to wildlife and humans.
dc.description.reviewstatusReviewed
dc.description.scholarlevelFaculty
dc.identifier.citationPoulsen, R., Field, E. M., Jackson, A. M., Kuecks-Winger, H., Thambirajah, A. A., Goodlett, D. R., Helbing, C. C., & P?trošová, H. (2026). Novel insights into the distribution and effects of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in the nervous system of a frog tadpole model by mass spectrometry imaging. Environmental Science & Technology, 60(4), 3121–3134. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c17483
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c17483
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/23840
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherEnvironmental Science & Technology
dc.rightsCC BY-NC-ND
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.subjectUVic Genome BC Proteomics Centre
dc.subjectSexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Aspiration Research Cluster
dc.subjectmass spectrometry imaging
dc.subjectMALDI-MSI
dc.subjectPFOS
dc.subjectPFAS
dc.subjectamphibians
dc.subjecttissue distribution
dc.subjectlipodomics
dc.subjectolfactory system
dc.subject.departmentDepartment of Biochemistry and Microbiology
dc.titleNovel insights into the distribution and effects of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in the nervous system of a frog tadpole model by mass spectrometry imaging
dc.typeArticle

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