Abstract
BackgroundDue to the increased application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) in the food industry and daily life, their potential toxic effects in humans and animals have been investigated. However, very few studies have focused on testicular oxidative stress and/or apoptosis.MethodsIn order to understand the possible molecular mechanisms of testicular lesions following exposure to TiO2 NPs, male mice were exposed to 2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg body weight TiO2 NPs for 90 consecutive days. Testicular oxidative stress and apoptosis were then evaluated, and the testicular mRNA expression of several genes and their proteins involved in oxidative stress and/or apoptosis was investigated.ResultsTiO2 NPs entered Sertoli cells and caused severe testicular oxidative damage and/or apoptosis, accompanied by excessive production of reactive oxygen species and peroxidation of lipids, proteins and DNA as well as a significant reduction in antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, exposure to TiO2 NPs resulted in the up-regulation of caspase-3, Nrbp2, and cytochrome c expression, and caused down-regulation of SOD, CAT, GPx, GST, GR, Cyp1b1, Car3, Bcl-2, Acaa2, and Axud1 expression in mouse testis.ConclusionsTiO2 NPs entered Sertoli cells via the blood-testis barrier and were deposited in mouse seminiferous cord and/or Sertoli cells, causing oxidative damage and apoptosis.
Highlights
Due to the increased application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) in the food industry and daily life, their potential toxic effects in humans and animals have been investigated
TiO2 NPs characteristics XRD measurements showed that TiO2 NPs exhibited the anatase structure (Figure 1), and the average particle size calculated from the broadening of the (101) XRD peak of anatase was approximately 5.5 nm using Scherrer’s equation
transmission electron microscope (TEM) demonstrated that the average size of the powder particles (Figure 2a) and NPs suspended in HPMC solvent after incubation ranged from 5—6 nm, respectively (Figure 2b), which was consistent with the XRD results
Summary
Due to the increased application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) in the food industry and daily life, their potential toxic effects in humans and animals have been investigated. Our recent studies demonstrated that TiO2 NPs can migrate to the ovary and testis, resulting in injury, a reduction in fertility, lower sperm concentration and sperm motility, higher malformation rates of sperm, and alterations in the gene expression profile in the damaged ovaries and testes in mice [21,22]. No studies have examined whether TiO2 NPs induce testicular oxidative stress and/ or apoptosis by assessing the antioxidant capacity, and alterations in oxidative stress and/or apoptosis-related gene expression in male mice. The aims of the present study were to test the hypothesis that TiO2 NPs induce oxidative stress and/or apoptosis in the testis of mice by causing a reduction in antioxidant capacity and alterations in oxidative stress and/or apoptosis-related gene expression. The mechanisms of TiO2 NP-induced oxidative stress and/or apoptosis in mouse testis were evaluated
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