title: Progressive effects of silver nanoparticles on hormonal regulation of reproduction in male rats.
abstract: The growing use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in various applications, including consumer, agriculture and medicine products, has raised many concerns about the potential risks of nanoparticles (NPs) to human health and the environment. An increasing body of evidence suggests that AgNPs may have adverse effects of humans, thus the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of AgNPs on the male reproductive system. Silver particles (20nm AgNPs (groups Ag I and Ag II) and 200nm Ag sub-micron particles (SPs) (group Ag III)) were administered intravenously to male Wistar rats at a dose of 5 (groups Ag I and Ag III) or 10 (group Ag II) mg/kg of body weight. The biological material was sampled 24h, 7days and 28days after injection. The obtained results revealed that the AgNPs had altered the luteinising hormone concentration in the plasma and the sex hormone concentration in the plasma and testes. Plasma and intratesticular levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were significantly decreased both 7 and 28days after treatment. No change in the prolactin and sex hormone-binding globulin concentration was observed. Exposure of the animals to AgNPs resulted in a considerable decrease in 5α-reductase type 1 and the aromatase protein level in the testis. Additionally, expression analysis of genes involved in steroidogenesis and the steroids metabolism revealed significant down-regulation of Star, Cyp11a1, Hsd3b1, Hsd17b3 and Srd5a1 mRNAs in AgNPs/AgSPs-exposed animals. The present study demonstrates the potential adverse effect on the hormonal regulation of the male reproductive function following AgNP/AgSP administration, in particular alterations of the sex steroid balance and expression of genes involved in steroidogenesis and the steroids metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutrition Physiology, Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: k.dziendzikowska@gmail.com.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dziendzikowska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krawczyńska
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutrition Physiology, Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oczkowski
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutrition Physiology, Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Królikowski
authors.affiliation: Centre for Radiobiology and Biological Dosimetry, Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brzóska
authors.affiliation: Centre for Radiobiology and Biological Dosimetry, Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Radiobiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Świetokrzyska 15, 25-406 Kielce, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lankoff
authors.affiliation: Airworthiness Division, Air Force Institute of Technology, Ks. Boleslawa 6, 01-494 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dziendzikowski
authors.affiliation: Centre for Radiobiology and Biological Dosimetry, Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stępkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology and Translational Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Information Technology and Management, Sucharskiego 2, 35-225 Rzeszów, Poland; Department of Molecular Biology and Translational Research, Institute of Rural Health, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kruszewski
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutrition Physiology, Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159C, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gromadzka-Ostrowska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012834:Silver
keywords: Reproductive toxicity; Sex hormones; Silver nanoparticles; Steroid metabolism; Steroidogenesis