Short term exposure to titanium, aluminum and vanadium (Ti 6Al 4V) alloy powder drastically affects behavior and antioxidant metabolites in vital organs of male albino mice.

Ghulam Khadija,Zahra Naqvi,Nida Saleem,Sana Mukhtar,Tahir Rasheed,Furhan Iqbal,Ather Ibrahim,Ayisha Saleem,Maham Gull,Zafrin Akhtar,Naira Nizam,Mahnoor Masood,Momna Batool

doi:10.1016/j.toxrep.2018.06.006

Abstract

Titanium, Aluminum and Vanadium (Ti 6Al 4V) alloy are frequently used as surgical implant but regarding their compatibility in living systems is limited. Ti 6Al 4V was prepared from high purity constituents and Ti 6Al 4V alloy powder (25 mg/ml solvent/Kg body weight) was gavaged to albino mice for 8 days. A saline treated control group was maintained in parallel. A series of behavioral (rota rod, light and dark box, open field and novel object) test performance, complete blood count, selected serum (HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, creatinine, cholesterol and triglycerides) parameters, antioxidant metabolites from vital organs (superoxide dismutase, catalase and lipid peroxidation) from vital organs and body weight were determined in both treatments. It was observed that rota rod test performance in male (P = 0.05) and novel object recognition capability in female mice (P = 0.04) were significantly reduced as compared to their respective control groups. Body weight, complete blood count and studied serum parameters remained unaffected when compared between two treatments of both genders. Concentration of superoxide dismutase in liver (P = 0.008), heart (P = 0.01) and lungs (P = 0.05) was significantly elevated while catalase concentration in liver (P = 0.001) was significantly decreased in female albino mice that were exposed to 25 mg/ml solvent/kg body weight of Ti 6 A l 4 V alloy powder. In case of male albino mice, superoxide dismutase concentration in lungs was reduced (P = 0.05) in mice exposed to Ti 6 A l 4 V alloy powder. In conclusion, our results indicated that short term exposure to 25 mg/ml solvent/Kg body weight of Ti-6Al-4V alloy powder supplementation had adversely affected selected aspects of behavior of albino mice in a gender specific manner. Analysis of antioxidant parameters in vital organs has demonstrated that the applied dose of Ti-6Al-4V alloy powder can disturb the H₂O₂ associated metabolic pathways in albino mice, especially in female mice. As this alloy is part of surgical implants, so we recommend that their effects in living systems must be extensively explored under variable dose and exposure time conditions to know more about their biocompatibility.

Highlights

In surgical implants, metals and alloys are the most common materials [1]
Analysis of results revealed that rota rod test performance was significantly decreased (P = 0.05) in male mice treated with25 mg/ml solvent/Kg body weight of Ti-6 A l-4 V alloy powder for eight days as compared to control group
Data analysis revealed that concentration of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in liver (P = 0.008), heart (P = 0.01) and lungs (P = 0.05) was significantly elevated while catalase concentration in liver (P = 0.001) was significantly decreased in female albino mice that were exposed to 25 mg/ ml solvent/kg body weight of Ti 6 A l 4 V alloy powder as compared to control group (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Titanium alloys have good mechanical properties and they are considered to be biocompatibile. They are the materials of choice for the production of implant materials. Titanium alloys have low densities imparting them high specific strength-to-weight ratios that makes them lighter and stronger and even in some cases, they have cryogenic properties [2,3]. They are widely used in aerospace and marine applications, medicines and in production of sports equipment [4,5]. Titanium based implants are very commonly used in dentistry and orthopedic treatments, for spinal and maxillofacial reconstructions, joint arthroplasties and dental prostheses [6,7]

Results

Discussion

Conclusion