Predicting the Mechanisms and Targets of PFOA Nephrotoxicity via Network Toxicology, Mendelian Randomization, Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

Abstract

Objectives: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), widely used in food-contact materials, industrial coatings, and other applications, enters the food chain via air, soil, and water, posing a potential public health risk.

Methods: This study employs network toxicology, mendelian randomization, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to preliminarily elucidate the mechanisms by which PFOA's toxic targets contribute to renal impairment. Through integrated analysis of multi-database bioinformatics, we identified 85 cross-targets associated with PFOA-induced renal toxicity. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed significant enrichment of these targets in pathways related to ribosomes, lysosomes, complement and coagulation cascades, steroid hormone metabolism, immune-inflammatory diseases, and drug metabolism. STRING and Cytoscape tools identified five core targets (CYP3A4, CASP3, REN, PPARG, and IL-10). Mendelian randomization confirmed IL-10 as a central mediator of PFOA's nephrotoxicity. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation demonstrated a high binding affinity between PFOA and IL-10.

Results: Our findings suggest that PFOA likely exacerbates renal injury by suppressing IL-10 expression, thereby amplifying inflammatory responses, accelerating renal cell damage and fibrosis, and ultimately impairing kidney function.

Conclusion: This study elucidates the molecular mechanisms underlying PFOA-induced nephrotoxicity, offering novel insights for environmental health research.