Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41722873›Full record

ArticleToxicology letters2026

Recovery from chronic PFAS exposure can reverse chemotherapy resistance and mitochondrial alterations in ovarian cancer cells.

Brittany P Rickard, Lauren A Sapienza-Lundie, Vesna A Chappell, Suzanne E Fenton, Imran Rizvi

Abstract read
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Article in Toxicology letters, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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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

5 authors.

Brittany P RickardDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA. Electronic address: bprickar@ncsu.edu.
Lauren A Sapienza-LundieCurriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
Vesna A ChappellMechanistic Toxicology Branch, Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
Suzanne E FentonDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
Imran RizviCurriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.

Funding

Translational Research Support CoreP30ES025128 · NIEHS · NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH · PI Sue Fenton · 2015 to 2026
$18.3M
Targeting Fluid Stress-induced Chemoresistance in a 3D Carcinomatosis Perfusion Model Using Mechanism-based Photo-immunoconjugate NanoparticlesR01CA256710 · NCI · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · PI Huang Chiao Huang, Imran Rizvi · 2023 to 2026
$2.2M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA256710NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES025128
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental contaminants of global concern that have been associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes, including diminished chemotherapy response. Previous studies in moderately chemosensitive ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR-3) have shown that the induction of chemoresistance from PFAS exposure is duration-dependent, with longer, more human-relevant exposure durations leading to worse outcomes. Mitochondrial content was also altered following chronic PFAS exposure, suggesting mitochondria as contributors to PFAS-induced chemoresistance. Here, chemotherapy response following chronic PFAS exposure in a chemoresistant human ovarian cancer cell line, OVCAR-8, was evaluated. Compared to OVCAR-3 cells, chemotherapy response was unaffected by chronic PFAS exposure in OVCAR-8 cells. As individuals gain awareness of sources of PFAS exposure, and associated harmful effects, actions can be taken to limit exposure using water filtration systems and/or safer alternatives to PFAS-containing consumer goods. Thus, we also explored the ability of PFAS-sensitive OVCAR-3 cells to recover from chronic exposure. Following 6 passages of chronic PFAS exposure, cells were "outgrown" in the absence of PFAS for 7 additional passages and proliferation, chemotherapy response, and mitochondria-related alterations were assessed. Compared to chronically-exposed cells, outgrown cells displayed heightened sensitivity to chemotherapy along with decreased superoxide production and mitochondrial content. Proliferation remained significantly elevated compared to controls, suggesting that not all PFAS-induced effects are abrogated by a recovery period. Together, these findings suggest that ovarian cancer cells differ in their PFAS sensitivities and that mitochondria-related alterations resulting from chronic PFAS exposure can be reversed following a "recovery period", potentially resensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapy.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsDrug Resistance, NeoplasmEnvironmental PollutantsFluorocarbonsMitochondriaOvarian NeoplasmsCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationCell SurvivalFemaleHumansTime FactorsAntineoplastic AgentsEnvironmental PollutantsFluorocarbonsChemoresistanceEnvironmental exposuresMitochondriaOvarian cancerPerfluoroalkyl substancesPFASRecovery

Identifiers

PMID41722873
PMCPMC13231427

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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.