Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40554061›Full record

ArticleJournal of advanced research2026

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid impairs spermatogenesis via the liver-gut microbiota-testis axis: a central role of chenodeoxycholic acid metabolism.

Wang Yang, Peng Zou, Shijun He, Haonan Cui, Zeyu Yang, Huihui An, Qing Chen, Wei Huang, Hong Guo, Jinyi Liu and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of advanced research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Wang YangKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China; Department of Gastroenterology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401147, China.
Peng ZouKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
Shijun HeKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
Haonan CuiKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
Zeyu YangDepartment of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401147, China.
Huihui AnKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
Qing ChenKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
Wei HuangSchool of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 Guangdong, China.
Hong GuoDepartment of Gastroenterology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401147, China.
Jinyi LiuKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
Xi LingKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: lingxi@tmmu.edu.cn.
Jia CaoKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: caojia@tmmu.edu.cn.
Lin AoKey Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: aolin@tmmu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPerfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) as a global contaminant is ubiquitously presented in the environmental media and human body. The association between PFOS exposure and reduced male fertility has been recently discovered. However, the relevant mechanism remains unexplored.

objectivesOur study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of PFOS exposure on male reproductive function.

methodsIn a murine PFOS exposure model, single-nucleus transcriptome sequencing was performed to delineate the transcriptomic landscape of mouse testes at the single-cell resolution. We examined the serum metabolomic profile and conducted in-depth analysis of hepatic transcriptome datasets to explore the metabolic connections between liver and testis under PFOS exposure. Through integrating chenodeoxycholic acid intervention, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), metagenomic sequencing, testicular metabolome, Ligilactobacillus murinus (L. murinus) metabolome, and administration of L. murinus, we confirmed the role of the liver-gut microbiota-testis axis and screened the critical gut microbiota involved in PFOS-mediated spermatogenic disorders.

resultsThe results showed that PFOS exposure led to spermatogenic arrest and abnormal spermatogenic microenvironment in the mouse testis. The PFOS-repressed hepatic chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) synthesis contributed to the reduced serum/testicular levels of essential fatty acid (linoleic acid) and lipid-soluble vitamins (retinol, vitamin D3), which was responsible for the spermatogenic arrest. Beyond this, PFOS-mediated impaired CDCA production decreased the abundance of gut L. murinus, which affected spermatogenesis through the potential involvement of aspartic acid metabolism. For the first time to our knowledge, we comprehensively assessed the effects of PFOS exposure on the spermatogenic process and elucidated the unrecognized role of liver-gut microbiota-testis axis in PFOS-induced abnormal spermatogenesis.

conclusionsThe unveiled organ crosstalks provide new insights into the metabolism-disrupting properties, hepatotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity of PFOS, which may facilitate the development of molecule-, metabolite-, and microbe-based strategies for PFOS-induced metabolic diseases and reproductive disorders.

Indexed as

Alkanesulfonic AcidsChenodeoxycholic AcidFluorocarbonsGastrointestinal MicrobiomeLiverSpermatogenesisTestisAnimalsFecal Microbiota TransplantationMaleMetabolomeMiceMice, Inbred C57BLAlkanesulfonic AcidsChenodeoxycholic AcidFluorocarbonsperfluorooctane sulfonic acidCDCAGut microbiotaLiverPFASSpermatogenic disorderTestis

Identifiers

PMID40554061
PMCPMC12957835

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.