Abstract
Gold nanorods (GNRs) are among the most commonly used nanomaterials. However, thus far, little is known about their harmful effects on male reproduction. Studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that GNRs could decrease glycine synthesis, membrane permeability, mitochondrial membrane potential and disrupt blood-testis barrier factors in TM-4 Sertoli cells. Imprinted genes play important roles in male reproduction and have been identified as susceptible loci to environmental insults by chemicals because they are functionally haploid. In this original study, we investigated the extent to which imprinted genes become deregulated in TM-4 Sertoli cells when treated with low dose of GNRs. The expression levels of 44 imprinted genes were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR in TM-4 Sertoli cells after a low dose of (10 nM) GNRs treatment for 24 h. We found significantly diminished expression of Kcnq1, Ntm, Peg10, Slc22a2, Pwcr1, Gtl2, Nap1l5, Peg3 and Slc22a2, while Plagl1 was significantly overexpressed. Additionally, four (Kcnq1, Slc22a18, Pwcr1 and Peg3) of 10 abnormally expressed imprinted genes were found to be located on chromosome 7. However, no significant difference of imprinted miRNA genes was observed between the GNRs treated group and controls. Our study suggested that aberrant expression of imprinted genes might be an underlying mechanism for the GNRs-induced reproductive toxicity in TM-4 Sertoli cells.
Highlights
In recent decades, gold nanorods (GNRs) have been investigated extensively for clinical imaging [1], treatment [2], drug delivery [3] and cancer therapy [4,5]
We found that GNRs treatment could affect male reproduction via a decrease in glycine synthesis, membrane permeability, mitochondrial membrane potential and disrupt blood-testis barrier factors in TM-4 Sertoli cells [12]
The aim of this study was to investigate whether GNRs treatment could alter http://igc.otago.ac.nz/home.html) [19], one hundred and twenty-two and 95 imprinted genes have the expression of imprinted genes in TM-4 Sertoli cells
Summary
Gold nanorods (GNRs) have been investigated extensively for clinical imaging [1], treatment [2], drug delivery [3] and cancer therapy [4,5]. Whether GNRs have reproductive toxicity has aroused wide concern. Kidney oxidative damage in mice [8] and cells [9,10], spermatotoxicity of GNRs has been reported [11]. We investigated the impacts of GNRs on the metabolomics changes in TM-4 Sertoli cells. We found that GNRs treatment could affect male reproduction via a decrease in glycine synthesis, membrane permeability, mitochondrial membrane potential and disrupt blood-testis barrier factors in TM-4 Sertoli cells [12]. Public Health 2016, 13, 271; doi:10.3390/ijerph13030271 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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