Metabolic gene expression profiling of Zebrafish embryos exposed to silver nanocolloids and nanotubes

Abstract

Nanosilver is produced in various shapes, size and coatings to increase its nanomaterial effects. However, the nanotoxicity related with the physiochemical properties of nanomaterials. When nanomaterials attach, reacted or be though the cell membrane, the first barriers they face are cell proteins (e.g., receptors, enzymes, and carriers). Nanomaterials could affect metabolic mechanisms through their reaction with cell proteins. Therefore, this study analyzed changes in metabolic processes to identify corresponding changes in molecular functions and biological processes. We compared the gene expression profiling results of zebrafish embryos exposed to silver nanocolloids (Ag NCs, 10 μg/L) and silver nanotubes (Ag NTs, 1 μg/L); the results revealed that 198 genes were upregulated and 99 downregulated by Ag NCs and Ag NTs. The major genes of molecular function were associated with binding and catalytic activity, and the related genes of biological processes were involved in nucleobase-containing compound and protein metabolic processes. This study suggests that the two types of nanosilver caused similar patterns of metabolic process change regardless of nanosilver shape.