title: Silica and titanium dioxide nanoparticles cause pregnancy complications in mice.
abstract: The increasing use of nanomaterials has raised concerns about their potential risks to human health. Recent studies have shown that nanoparticles can cross the placenta barrier in pregnant mice and cause neurotoxicity in their offspring, but a more detailed understanding of the effects of nanoparticles on pregnant animals remains elusive. Here, we show that silica and titanium dioxide nanoparticles with diameters of 70 nm and 35 nm, respectively, can cause pregnancy complications when injected intravenously into pregnant mice. The silica and titanium dioxide nanoparticles were found in the placenta, fetal liver and fetal brain. Mice treated with these nanoparticles had smaller uteri and smaller fetuses than untreated controls. Fullerene molecules and larger (300 and 1,000 nm) silica particles did not induce these complications. These detrimental effects are linked to structural and functional abnormalities in the placenta on the maternal side, and are abolished when the surfaces of the silica nanoparticles are modified with carboxyl and amine groups.
authors: Department of Toxicology and Safety Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors: Kohei
authors: K
authors: Yamashita
authors: Yasuo
authors: Y
authors: Yoshioka
authors: Kazuma
authors: K
authors: Higashisaka
authors: Kazuya
authors: K
authors: Mimura
authors: Yuki
authors: Y
authors: Morishita
authors: Masatoshi
authors: M
authors: Nozaki
authors: Tokuyuki
authors: T
authors: Yoshida
authors: Toshinobu
authors: T
authors: Ogura
authors: Hiromi
authors: H
authors: Nabeshi
authors: Kazuya
authors: K
authors: Nagano
authors: Yasuhiro
authors: Y
authors: Abe
authors: Haruhiko
authors: H
authors: Kamada
authors: Youko
authors: Y
authors: Monobe
authors: Takayoshi
authors: T
authors: Imazawa
authors: Hisae
authors: H
authors: Aoshima
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Shishido
authors: Yuichi
authors: Y
authors: Kawai
authors: Tadanori
authors: T
authors: Mayumi
authors: Shin-Ichi
authors: S
authors: Tsunoda
authors: Norio
authors: N
authors: Itoh
authors: Tomoaki
authors: T
authors: Yoshikawa
authors: Itaru
authors: I
authors: Yanagihara
authors: Shigeru
authors: S
authors: Saito
authors: Yasuo
authors: Y
authors: Tsutsumi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D010316:Particle Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: C009495:titanium dioxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014025:Titanium