ArticleFrontiers in toxicology2025
Decoding PFAS immunotoxicity: a NAMs-based comparison of short vs. long chains.
Article in Frontiers in toxicology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- A human PBMC-based new approach method reveals PFAS-driven T-cell proliferation and immune dysregulation.Archives of toxicology · 2026Article
- Article
- Scientific Report on consumer health-based guidance values for trifluoroacetic acid.EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority · 2026Article
- Article
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): persistence, toxicity, and emerging solutions.Bioprocess and biosystems engineering · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental pollutants with potential immunotoxic effects. Most toxicological studies have focused on long-chain PFAS such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). However, short-chain and ultra-short-chain alternatives, including trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), are increasingly used despite limited toxicological data. Methods: This study evaluated and compared the immunotoxic effects of PFAS with varying chain lengths-long-, short-, ultra-short-chain compounds, and fluoropolymer representatives (polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE)-using human-relevant new approach methodologies (NAMs). Two complementary in vitro models were employed. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors to assess antibody (IgG and IgM) production. THP-1-derived dendritic cells (DCs) to evaluate maturation marker expression (CD83, CD86, HLA-DR). Environmentally and occupationally relevant PFAS concentrations were tested. Results: PFOS, PFOA, and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) suppressed antibody production and impaired DC maturation in a concentration-dependent manner, consistent with previous in vivo and epidemiological data. Short-chain PFAS (PFHxS, PFBS, PFHxA, PFBA) showed modest to intermediate immunomodulatory activity, with subtle immunosuppressive trends in female donors. Notably, TFA reduced antibody production at levels comparable to PFOS, indicating that chain length alone is not a reliable predictor of immunotoxic potential. PTFE exhibited no suppressive effects; instead, increased antibody release was observed in female donors, suggesting possible sex-dependent immunostimulation. Discussion: Findings support a nuanced, compound-specific approach to PFAS risk assessment rather than a simple long- vs. short-chain distinction. In vitro NAMs provided mechanistic, human-relevant insights and reinforce their integration into regulatory frameworks.
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Registered trials
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.