title: Effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticle exposure in Mytilus galloprovincialis gills and digestive gland.
abstract: Despite the wide use of nanoscale materials in several fields, some aspects of the nanoparticle behavior have to be still investigated. In this work, we faced the aspect of environmental effects of increasing concentrations of TiO2NPs using the Mytilus galloprovincialis as an animal model and carrying out a multidisciplinary approach to better explain the results. Bioaccumulation suggested that the gills and digestive gland are the most sensitive organs to TiO2NP exposure. Histological observations have evidenced an altered tissue organization and a consistent infiltration of hemocytes, as a consequence of the immune system activation, even though an increase in lipid peroxidation is uncertain and DNA damage became relevant only at high exposure dose (10 mg/L) or for longer exposure time (96 h). However, the over expression of SOD1 mRNA strengthen the concept that the toxicity of TiO2NPs could occur indirectly by ROS production. TEM analysis showed the presence of multilamellar bodies, RER fragmentation, and cytoplasmic vacuolization within relevant presence of dense granules, residual bodies, and lipid inclusions. These findings support the evidence of an initial inflammatory response by the cells of the target organs leading to apoptosis. In conclusion, we can state that certainly the exposure to TiO2NPs has affected our animal model from cellular to molecular levels. Interestingly, the same responses are caused by lower TiO2NP concentration and longer exposure time as well as higher doses and shorter exposure. We do not know if some of the conditions detected are reversible, then further studies are required to clarify this aspect.
authors: a Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita , Università dell'Insubria , Varese , Italy .|b "The Protein Factory" Research Center, Politecnico di Milano, ICRM-CNR Milano and Università dell'Insubria , Milano , Italy .
authors: Rosalba
authors: R
authors: Gornati
authors: c Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche e Ambientali , and.
authors: Arturo
authors: A
authors: Longo
authors: a Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita , Università dell'Insubria , Varese , Italy .
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Rossi
authors: c Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche e Ambientali , and.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Maisano
authors: d Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra , Università di Messina , Messina , Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Sabatino
authors: c Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche e Ambientali , and.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Mauceri
authors: a Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita , Università dell'Insubria , Varese , Italy .|b "The Protein Factory" Research Center, Politecnico di Milano, ICRM-CNR Milano and Università dell'Insubria , Milano , Italy .
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Bernardini
authors: c Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche e Ambientali , and.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Fasulo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053960:DNA Breaks; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005880:Gills / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D049878:Mytilus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity*; D014025:Titanium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium
keywords: Biomarkers; in vivo experiments; morphology; nanotoxicity