title: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles modulate the toxicological response to cadmium in the gills of Mytilus galloprovincialis.
abstract: We investigated the influence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) on the response to cadmium in the gills of the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in terms of accumulation and toxicity. Mussels were in vivo exposed to nano-TiO2, CdCl2, alone and in combination. Several cellular biomarkers were investigated in gills: ABC transport proteins and metallothioneins at gene/protein (abcb1, abcc-like and mt-20) and functional level, GST activity, NO production and DNA damage (Comet assay). Accumulation of total Cd and titanium in gills as in whole soft tissue was also investigated. Significant responses to Cd exposure were observed in mussel gills as up-regulation of abcb1 and mt-20 gene transcription, increases in total MT content, P-gp efflux and GST activity, DNA damage and NO production. Nano-TiO2 alone increased P-gp efflux activity and NO production. When combined with Cd, nano-TiO2 reduced the metal-induced effects by significantly lowering abcb1 gene transcription, GST activity, and DNA damage, whereas, additive effects were observed on NO production. A lower concentration of Cd was observed in the gills upon co-exposure, whereas, Ti levels were unaffected. A competitive effect in uptake/accumulation of nano-TiO2 and Cd seems to occur in gills. A confirmation is given by the observed absence of adsorption of Cd onto nano-TiO2 in sea water media.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Della Torre
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences-DISTAV, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Balbi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frenzilli
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernardeschi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), Seconda Università di Napoli, Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smerilli
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences-DISTAV, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Canesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nigro
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monaci
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Scarcelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), Seconda Università di Napoli, Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Focardi
authors.affiliation: Centre for BioNanoInteractions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monopoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Italy. Electronic address: ilaria.corsi@unisi.it.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Corsi
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D005880:Gills / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D049878:Mytilus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014025:Titanium / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; C009495:titanium dioxide; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D014025:Titanium
keywords: ABC transporters; Cadmium; Genotoxicity; NO production; Nano-TiO(2)