Abstract

There is an imperative need to develop efficient whole-animal-based testing assays to determine the potential toxicity of engineered nanomaterials. While previous studies have demonstrated toxicity in lung and skin cells after C70 nanoparticles (NPs) exposure, the potential detrimental role of C70 NPs in neurobehavior is largely unaddressed. Here, we evaluated the chronic effects of C70 NPs exposure on behavior and alterations in biochemical responses in adult zebrafish. Two different exposure doses were used for this experiment: low dose (0.5 ppm) and high dose (1.5 ppm). Behavioral tests were performed after two weeks of exposure of C70 NPs. We found decreased locomotion, exploration, mirror biting, social interaction, and shoaling activities, as well as anxiety elevation and circadian rhythm locomotor activity impairment after ~2 weeks in the C70 NP-exposed fish. The results of biochemical assays reveal that following exposure of zebrafish to 1.5 ppm of C70 NPs, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the brain and muscle tissues increased significantly. In addition, the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) also increased from 2.95 ± 0.12 U/ug to 8.46 ± 0.25 U/ug and from 0.90 ± 0.03 U/ug to 3.53 ± 0.64 U/ug in the muscle and brain tissues, respectively. Furthermore, an increased level of cortisol was also observed in muscle and brain tissues, ranging from 17.95 ± 0.90 pg/ug to 23.95 ± 0.66 pg/ug and from 3.47 ± 0.13 pg/ug to 4.91 ± 0.51 pg/ug, respectively. Increment of Hif1-α level was also observed in both tissues. The elevation was ranging from 11.65 ± 0.54 pg/ug to 18.45 ± 1.00 pg/ug in the muscle tissue and from 4.26 ± 0.11 pg/ug to 6.86 ± 0.37 pg/ug in the brain tissue. Moreover, the content of DNA damage and inflammatory markers such as ssDNA, TNF-α, and IL-1β were also increased substantially in the brain tissues. Significant changes in several biomarker levels, including catalase and malondialdehyde (MDA), were also observed in the gill tissues. Finally, we used a neurophenomic approach with a particular focus on environmental influences, which can also be easily adapted for other aquatic fish species, to assess the toxicity of metal and carbon-based nanoparticles. In summary, this is the first study to illustrate the adult zebrafish toxicity and the alterations in several neurobehavior parameters after zebrafish exposure to environmentally relevant amounts of C70 NPs.

Highlights

  • As the industrial applications of stabilized nanoparticles continue to expand, it becomes crucial to understand their potential environmental implications

  • We found that 1.5 ppm of C70 NP-treated fish showed a significant reduction in their locomotor activity

  • The size of C70 NPs was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

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Summary

Introduction

As the industrial applications of stabilized nanoparticles continue to expand, it becomes crucial to understand their potential environmental implications. Among carbon-based nanomaterials, fullerenes have received much attention with many potential applications, including in electronics, site-specific drug delivery, and pharmaceutical nanocarriers [4,5,6]. With increasing large production volume and use of fullerene, it is imperative to determine/monitor the possible human health and environmental implications [14] of these nanomaterials since adverse effects as well as protective effects are reported upon exposure [15,16,17]. Assessment of nanoparticle toxicity would provide this critical data, enhance the public trust of the nanotechnology industry, and aid regulators in deciding the environmental and health risks of commercial nanomaterials [18]. There is an urgent need to develop efficient, rapid, and appropriate testing strategies to assess toxicity and potential risks posed by fullerenes and their derivatives

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