title: Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in testicular cells of male wistar rat.
abstract: Serious concerns have been expressed about potential risks of engineered nanoparticles. Regulatory health risk assessment of such particles has become mandatory for the safe use in consumer products and medicines; also, the potential effects on reproduction and fertility are relevant for this risk evaluation. In the present study, we examined the effects of intravenously injected titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs; 21 nm), with special emphasis on reproductive system. Antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase showed a significant decrease, while significant increase in lipid peroxidase was observed. Our results confirmed the bioaccumulation of TiO2-NPs in testicular cells. In TiO2-NPs-treated animals, various functional and pathological disorders, such as reduced sperm count, increase in caspase-3 (a biomarker of apoptosis), creatine kinase activity, DNA damage, and cell apoptosis were observed. Moreover, the testosterone activity was decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner in the animals treated with TiO2-NPs as compared with control group animals. It is concluded that TiO2-NPs induce oxidative stress, which produce cytotoxic and genotoxic changes in sperms which may affect the fertilizing potential of spermatozoa.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, 110067.
authors.forename: Ramovatar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meena
authors.forename: Kumari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kajal
authors.forename: Paulraj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: R
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity*; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014025:Titanium / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D003603:Cytotoxins; C009495:titanium dioxide; D013739:Testosterone; D014025:Titanium; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D053148:Caspase 3