Exposure of mice to environmentally relevant per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) alters the sperm epigenome.

Gillespie, L; Martin, JH; Anderson, AL; Bernstein, IR; Stanger, SJ; Trigg, NA; Schjenken, JE; Gannon, A-L; Parameswaran, S; Smyth, SP; Conine, CC; Desai, R; Handelsman, DJ; De Iuliis, GN; Eamens, AL; Dun, MD; Turner, BD; Roman, SD; Green, MP; Nixon, B

Exposure of mice to environmentally relevant per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) alters the sperm epigenome.

Gillespie, L Martin, JH Anderson, AL Bernstein, IR Stanger, SJ Trigg, NA Schjenken, JE Gannon, A-L Parameswaran, S Smyth, SP Conine, CC Desai, R Handelsman, DJ De Iuliis, GN Eamens, AL Dun, MD Turner, BD Roman, SD Green, MP Nixon, B

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Publisher:: Springer Nature
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Commun Biol, 2025, 8, (1), pp. 1487
Issue Date:: 2025-10-28

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Gillespie, L
dc.contributor.author	Martin, JH
dc.contributor.author	Anderson, AL
dc.contributor.author	Bernstein, IR
dc.contributor.author	Stanger, SJ
dc.contributor.author	Trigg, NA
dc.contributor.author	Schjenken, JE
dc.contributor.author	Gannon, A-L
dc.contributor.author	Parameswaran, S
dc.contributor.author	Smyth, SP
dc.contributor.author	Conine, CC
dc.contributor.author	Desai, R
dc.contributor.author	Handelsman, DJ
dc.contributor.author	De Iuliis, GN
dc.contributor.author	Eamens, AL
dc.contributor.author	Dun, MD
dc.contributor.author	Turner, BD
dc.contributor.author	Roman, SD
dc.contributor.author	Green, MP
dc.contributor.author	Nixon, B
dc.date.accessioned	2026-02-26T01:12:31Z
dc.date.available	2025-09-08
dc.date.available	2026-02-26T01:12:31Z
dc.date.issued	2025-10-28
dc.identifier.citation	Commun Biol, 2025, 8, (1), pp. 1487
dc.identifier.issn	2399-3642
dc.identifier.issn	2399-3642
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/193706
dc.description.abstract	Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of persistent synthetic chemicals and ubiquitous environmental contaminants. Mounting evidence demonstrates that PFAS can bioaccumulate and induce adverse health outcomes, including compromising male reproduction. Despite this, the mechanisms by which PFAS elicits these effects remain unclear. Here, we investigate how an environmentally relevant PFAS cocktail impacts the reproductive function of male Swiss CD1 mice. Following twelve weeks of continuous exposure, we collected blood samples for hormone and PFAS quantification and processed reproductive tissues and spermatozoa for histological and functional assessment. PFAS exposure significantly reduced the rate of daily sperm production, likely due to decreased circulating testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Further, PFAS-exposed spermatozoa displayed marked alterations to their small non-coding RNA profile, which were linked to dysregulation of early-embryonic gene expression. Notably, these changes occured without significant alteration in sperm viability, motility, or the ability to undergo capacitation or support embryonic development. These findings provide new mechanistic insight into how PFAS exposure impacts male reproductive health.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Springer Nature
dc.relation.ispartof	Commun Biol
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1038/s42003-025-08865-4
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	31 Biological sciences
dc.subject.classification	32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Spermatozoa
dc.subject.mesh	Mice
dc.subject.mesh	Fluorocarbons
dc.subject.mesh	Environmental Pollutants
dc.subject.mesh	Epigenome
dc.subject.mesh	Environmental Exposure
dc.subject.mesh	Sperm Motility
dc.subject.mesh	Spermatozoa
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Mice
dc.subject.mesh	Fluorocarbons
dc.subject.mesh	Environmental Pollutants
dc.subject.mesh	Environmental Exposure
dc.subject.mesh	Sperm Motility
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Epigenome
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Spermatozoa
dc.subject.mesh	Mice
dc.subject.mesh	Fluorocarbons
dc.subject.mesh	Environmental Pollutants
dc.subject.mesh	Epigenome
dc.subject.mesh	Environmental Exposure
dc.subject.mesh	Sperm Motility
dc.title	Exposure of mice to environmentally relevant per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) alters the sperm epigenome.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	8
utslib.location.activity	England
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW)
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-02-26T01:12:13Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	8
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of persistent synthetic chemicals and ubiquitous environmental contaminants. Mounting evidence demonstrates that PFAS can bioaccumulate and induce adverse health outcomes, including compromising male reproduction. Despite this, the mechanisms by which PFAS elicits these effects remain unclear. Here, we investigate how an environmentally relevant PFAS cocktail impacts the reproductive function of male Swiss CD1 mice. Following twelve weeks of continuous exposure, we collected blood samples for hormone and PFAS quantification and processed reproductive tissues and spermatozoa for histological and functional assessment. PFAS exposure significantly reduced the rate of daily sperm production, likely due to decreased circulating testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Further, PFAS-exposed spermatozoa displayed marked alterations to their small non-coding RNA profile, which were linked to dysregulation of early-embryonic gene expression. Notably, these changes occured without significant alteration in sperm viability, motility, or the ability to undergo capacitation or support embryonic development. These findings provide new mechanistic insight into how PFAS exposure impacts male reproductive health.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/193706