What is it about?
This study investigates how perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a persistent environmental pollutant and obesogen, affects the differentiation and metabolic profile of adipocytes. Using 3T3‑L1 murine preadipocytes, we examined the impact of PFOA during adipogenesis both in monoculture (direct exposure) and co‑culture (exposure to paracrine factors released by PFOA‑treated mature adipocytes). Across both systems, PFOA promoted adipocyte hypertrophy, altered lipid accumulation, and impaired insulin sensitivity. Additional analyses in monoculture suggest that PFOA may influence lipid metabolism and modify the expression of pro‑ and anti‑inflammatory adipokines.
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Why is it important?
Environmental obesogens like PFOA may contribute to metabolic disturbances by interfering with adipose tissue development and function. By showing that PFOA promotes hypertrophic and metabolically unhealthy adipocytes—and that altered paracrine communication can further influence differentiating cells—this work provides new insight into how persistent pollutants may affect adipose tissue homeostasis and potentially increase metabolic disease risk.
Perspectives
These findings highlight the relevance of studying environmental contaminants as modifiers of adipocyte biology. Future work could clarify the molecular pathways underlying PFOA‑induced hypertrophy, better define the specific adipokines involved in paracrine signaling, and explore whether similar effects occur in human adipocyte models. Such insights may help refine the understanding of how pollutant exposure contributes to metabolic dysfunction.
Prof. Antonio Speciale
University of Messina
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Perfluorooctanoic acid affects in vitro adipogenesis in murine preadipocytes acting as an inducer of hypertrophic adipocytes, Food and Chemical Toxicology, April 2026, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2026.115977.
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