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Epidemiology

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Linked to Liver Disease in Sex-Dependent Manner

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

According to a recent study published in Environment International, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has been found to be associated with steatotic liver disease in a sex-dependent manner. Researchers from the University of Lille, French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), and University Hospital Lille conducted a study involving a large human cohort with obesity and histology-confirmed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The study aimed to investigate the association of PFOS in plasma (P-PFOS) and liver (L-PFOS) with clinical parameters of MASLD.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that human studies on the role of PFOS in steatotic liver disease have been largely epidemiological, relying on plasma without measuring liver PFOS.
  • The research used a large human cohort with obesity and histology-confirmed MASLD to investigate the association of PFOS in plasma (P-PFOS) and liver (L-PFOS) with clinical parameters of MASLD.
  • In women, L-PFOS negatively correlated with MASLD prevalence and severity, while in men, P-PFOS and L-PFOS positively associated with fibrosis.
  • The study found potential threshold effects in several histological parameters in men only.
  • In women, L-PFOS negatively correlated with metabolites from pathways implicated in MASLD progression, including diacylglycerol and sphingolipid species.
  • At the gene expression level, L-PFOS correlated negatively with many fibrosis-related genes involved in collagen formation and extracellular matrix organization in women only.
  • The study concluded that generally, L-PFOS correlated with many disease-relevant variables in women, but with few in men.

Statistics:

  • The study involved 1,035 individuals with obesity and histology-confirmed MASLD (Reference: Environment International, 2025, 204():109838).
  • The study found a significant negative correlation between L-PFOS and MASLD prevalence and severity in women.
  • The study found a positive correlation between P-PFOS and L-PFOS and fibrosis in men.
  • The study identified potential threshold effects in several histological parameters in men only.

Sources:

  • Environment International. Human liver perfluorooctane sulfonate associates with steatotic liver disease in a sex-dependent manner. 2025,204():109838.
  • University of Lille. Researchers from University of Lille Publish Findings in Liver Diseases and Conditions (Human liver perfluorooctane sulfonate associates with steatotic liver disease in a sex-dependent manner). Health & Medicine Week. October 31, 2025; p 6835.

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