PFOA and PFOS Disrupt the Generation of Human Pancreatic Progenitor Cells

The two most infamous perfluoroalkyl acids, PFOA and PFOS, are persistent, widespread, bioaccumulative, and associated with many health issues. However, knowledge about their potential toxicity to the developing pancreas or their association with metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, in humans is limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of PFOA and PFOS on the in vitro generation of pancreatic progenitor cells from human embryonic stem cells, a process that mimics in vivo organogenesis. We demonstrated for the first time that these two pollutants significantly affect the early stages of human pancreatic progenitor cell specification, even at very low environmentally and human-relevant doses. Thus, our findings further emphasize the substantial health risks associated with prenatal exposure to PFOA and PFOS.