Proteome-wide reverse molecular docking reveals folate receptor as a mediator of PFAS-induced neurodevelopmental...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of long-lasting chemicals with widespread use and environmental persistence that have been increasingly studied for their detrimental impacts on human and animal health. Several major PFAS species are linked to neurodevelopmental toxicity. For example, epidemiological studies have associated prenatal exposure to perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) with autism risk. However, the neurodevelopmental toxicities of major PFAS species have not been systematically evaluated in an animal model, and the molecular mechanisms underlying these toxicities have remained elusive. Using a high-throughput zebrafish social behavioral model, we screened six major PFAS species currently under regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including PFOA, PFNA, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid ammonium salt (GenX). We found that embryonic exposure to PFNA, PFOA, and PFOS induced social deficits in zebrafish, recapitulating one of the hallmark behavioral deficits in autistic individuals. To systematically identify potential molecular targets of PFAS, we applied a proteome-wide reverse molecular docking strategy that screens small molecules against predicted binding pockets across the human structural proteome. Using this approach, we screened a virtual library containing predicted binding pockets of over 80% of the 3D human proteome. The screen predicts that folate receptor beta (FR-β, encoded by the gene FOLR2) interacts strongly with PFNA, PFOA, and PFOS but to a lesser degree with PFHxS, PFBS, and GenX, correlating positively with their in vivo toxicity. These predictions were validated through in silico molecular docking, in vitro protein binding analysis, and in vivo targeted metabolomics and loss-of-function verifications. Furthermore, embryonic co-exposure to folic acid effectively rescued social deficits induced by PFAS. Together, these results demonstrate the utility of proteome-wide reverse docking as a powerful strategy for discovering molecular targets of environmental toxicants and identify the folate pathway as a potential mechanism underlying PFAS-induced neurodevelopmental toxicity.