Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) is a persistent organic pollutant widely detected in the environment and recently identified as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, the specific toxicological mechanisms by which PFOS affect...
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) is a persistent organic pollutant widely detected in the environment and recently identified as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, the specific toxicological mechanisms by which PFOS affects platelets—key mediators of thrombosis—remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether PFOS induces phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure and subsequent procoagulant activity, specifically focusing on the roles of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Our results demonstrated that PFOS treatment induced a significant, concentration-dependent increase in PS exposure on the platelet membrane. This disruption of membrane asymmetry was driven by the activation of scramblase and inhibition of flippase. Mechanistically, PFOS elevated intracellular calcium levels, depleted ATP, and caused the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential. Concurrently, excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and depletion of glutathione (GSH) confirmed that platelets were subjected to severe oxidative stress. Notably, pretreatment with antioxidants (NAC, Catalase) or a calcium chelator (BAPTA-AM) effectively attenuated PFOS-induced PS exposure and thrombin generation. In conclusion, PFOS promotes coagulation activity through a mechanism involving mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which leads to calcium- dependent PS exposure. These findings suggest a potential toxicological mechanism linking PFOS exposure to thrombotic risks associated with cardiovascular disease. □ keywords Platelets, Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), Phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure, oxidative stress, mitochondria, coagulation activity, cardiovascular disease