Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a synthetic, fully fluorinated eight-carbon carboxylic acid that has been widely used as a surfactant in industrial processes and consumer products (PubChem CID 9554). It is not a therapeutic target; rather, it is a persistent organic pollutant and a known human toxicant that is highly resistant to environmental degradation. PFOA bioaccumulates in humans, primarily binding to serum albumin and accumulating in the liver and kidneys (NIH/NIEHS). Biologically, it functions as a potent agonist of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-alpha), which disrupts normal lipid metabolism and cellular homeostasis (PubMed: 21507871). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified PFOA as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), linking exposure to increased risks of kidney and testicular cancers (IARC, 2023). While it is not a target for drug development, bile acid sequestrants like cholestyramine are sometimes used to enhance its biliary excretion in cases of high exposure (PubMed: 25413373).

Other names

Pentadecafluorooctanoic acidC8PerfluorooctanoatePFOPerfluoro-n-octanoic acid

PFOA acts as an exogenous ligand that binds to and activates nuclear receptors, primarily the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-alpha), leading to altered gene expression in lipid and glucose metabolism (PubMed: 21507871).