title: Subacute toxicity of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles in male rats: emotional behavior and pathophysiological examination.
abstract: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) have a wide range of applications in many fields (paint, industry, medicine, additives in food colorants, and nutritional products). Over the past decade research, TiO2 NPs have been focused on the potential toxic effects of these useful materials. In the present study, we investigated the effects of subacute exposure to TiO2 NPs on emotional behavior in adult Wistar rats, the biochemical parameters, and the histology of organs. Animals were injected intraperitoneally (ip) with TiO2 NPs (20 mg/kg body weight) every 2 days for 20 days. The elevated plus-maze test showed that subacute TiO2 NPs treatment increased significantly the anxious index (AI) compared to control group. The toxicological parameters were assessed 24 h and 14 days after the last injection of TiO2 NPs. Subacute exposure to nanoparticles increased the AST/ALT enzyme ratio and LDH activity. However, the blood cell count remained unchanged, except the platelet count increase. Histological examination showed a little inflammation overall. Moreover, our results provide strong evidence that the TiO2 NPs can induce the liver pathological changes of rats. The intraperitoneal injection of TiO2 NPs increased the accumulation of titanium in the liver, lung, and the brain. The results suggest that TiO2 NPs could alter the neurobehavioral performance of adult Wistar rats and promotes alterations in hepatic tissues.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, Faculty of Science of Bizerte, Carthage University, 7021, Jarzouna, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Naima Rihane Ben
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Younes
authors.forename: Salem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amara
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mrad
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ben-Slama
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeljeli
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omri
authors.forename: Jaber
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: El Ghoul
authors.forename: Lassaad
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: El Mir
authors.forename: Khemais Ben
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Rhouma
authors.forename: Hafedh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdelmelek
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakly
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010976:Platelet Count; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D014025:Titanium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D059551:Toxicity Tests, Subacute
chemical_list: C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase