More signs of neurotoxicity of surfactants and flame retardants – Neonatal PFOS and PBDE 99 cause transcriptional alterations in cholinergic genes in the mouse CNS

• Neonatal PFOS and PBDE 99 impair CNS development and disrupt behaviour in adult mice.
• Neonatal PFOS exposure altered expression of cortical AChE and nAChR-β2 after 24 h.
• Neonatal PFOS exposure altered expression of hippocampal mAChR-5 after 24 h.
• Neonatal PBDE 99 altered expression of cortical cholinergic receptors in adults.
• PFOS and PBDE 99 may disrupt the same adult behaviour via different pathways.

Maternally and lactionally transferred persistent organic pollutants may interfere with CNS development. Here, 10-day-old male mice were exposed to single oral doses of PFOS (perflourooctanosulphonate) or PBDE 99 (2,2′,4,4′,5-penta-bromodiphenyl ether), and examined for changes in cholinergic gene transcription in the CNS 24 h and 7 weeks later. 24 h after exposure qPCR analyses revealed decreased transcription of nAChR-β2 and AChE in cortex, and increased mAChR-5 in hippocampus of PFOS treated mice. Neonatal PFOS treatment altered spontaneous behaviour at 2 months of age but did not affect gene transcription in adults.At 2 months of age neonatally PBDE 99 treated mice had altered spontaneous behaviour, and cortical transcription of AChE, nAChR-α4, nAChR-β2 and mAChR-5 were elevated. Our results indicate that PFOS and PBDE 99 affects the developing central cholinergic system by altering gene transcription in cortex and hippocampus, which may in part account for mechanisms causing changes in spontaneous behaviour.