Shawn King / Chemistry & Biochemistry / Faculty Mentor: Saiful Chowdhury
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) persist in the environment and pose significant health risks. Previous studies show that exposure to Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a prevalent type of PFAS, disrupts cell signaling pathways critical for immunity and cancer. Macrophages are innate immune cells that act as a major defense against foreign agents. In this study, RAW 264.7 Macrophage immune cells were cultured and incubated with various PFOS concentrations. Protein precipitation and trypsin digestion were performed on the collected cell lysates. Peptides were analyzed using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques and the Proteome Discoverer software. Using the Panther Classification System, proteins were found to be important in several biological processes and pathways. Through protein identification and characterization, we aim to improve our understanding of the toxic effects of PFOS exposure on immune cell function.
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