Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), one of the most popular nanomaterials, are commonly used in consumer products and biomedical devices, despite their potential toxicity. Recently, AgNP exposure was reported to be associated with male reproductive toxicity in mammalian models. However, there is still a limited understanding of the effects of AgNPs on spermatogenesis. The fruit fly Drosophila testis is an excellent in vivo model to elucidate the mechanisms underlying AgNP-induced defects in spermatogenesis, as germ lineages can be easily identified and imaged. In this study, we evaluated AgNP-mediated toxicity on spermatogenesis by feeding Drosophila with AgNPs at various concentrations. We first observed a dose-dependent uptake of AgNPs in vivo. Concomitantly, AgNP exposure caused a significant decrease in the viability and delay in the development of Drosophila in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, AgNP-treated male flies showed a reduction in fecundity, and the resulting testes contained a decreased number of germline stem cells (GSCs) compared to controls. Interestingly, testes exposed to AgNPs exhibited a dramatic increase in reactive oxygen species levels and showed precocious GSC differentiation. Taken together, our study suggests that AgNP exposure may increase ROS levels in the Drosophila testis, leading to a reduction of GSC number by promoting premature GSC differentiation.
Highlights
Was adversely affected by AgNPs in a rat model[12]
Each is a tubular structure with germline stem cells (GSCs) and somatic cyst stem cells (CySCs) residing in a stem cell niche, which is composed of a small group of stromal cells[15]
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that the spherical shaped NPs were fairly uniform in size (Fig. 1a)
Summary
Was adversely affected by AgNPs in a rat model[12]. Single intravenous injections of AgNPs in mice can induce a significant effect on germ cells, adversely affecting spermatocytes development[14]. Drosophila, with its low maintenance cost, a short life cycle, distinct developmental stages and physiological similarity to humans, can be used as an excellent model organism to investigate AgNP-induced male reproductive toxicity[16,17]. Toxicity of AgNPs was evidenced by a decrease in the viability and a delay in the development of Drosophila. A significant decline in male fecundity was found after AgNP exposure. Further investigations revealed that AgNPs induce excessive amounts of ROS in the niche-GSCs, resulting in a decrease in GSC number mediated by promoting precocious GSC differentiation. Our findings have provided biological insights into the toxicity of AgNPs in spermatogenesis, highlighting the importance of risk assessment of AgNPs when used in consumer or biomedical applications
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