title: Use of Zebrafish Larvae as a Multi-Endpoint Platform to Characterize the Toxicity Profile of Silica Nanoparticles.
abstract: Nanomaterials are being extensively produced and applied in society. Human and environmental exposures are, therefore, inevitable and so increased attention is being given to nanotoxicity. While silica nanoparticles (NP) are one of the top five nanomaterials found in consumer and biomedical products, their toxicity profile is poorly characterized. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of silica nanoparticles with diameters 20, 50 and 80 nm using an in vivo zebrafish platform that analyzes multiple endpoints related to developmental, cardio-, hepato-, and neurotoxicity. Results show that except for an acceleration in hatching time and alterations in the behavior of zebrafish embryos/larvae, silica NPs did not elicit any developmental defects, nor any cardio- and hepatotoxicity. The behavioral alterations were consistent for both embryonic photomotor and larval locomotor response and were dependent on the concentration and the size of silica NPs. As embryos and larvae exhibited a normal touch response and early hatching did not affect larval locomotor response, the behavior changes observed are most likely the consequence of modified neuroactivity. Overall, our results suggest that silica NPs do not cause any developmental, cardio- or hepatotoxicity, but they pose a potential risk for the neurobehavioral system.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, O&N II, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Duc-Hung
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.affiliation: Solid State Physics and Magnetism Section, KU Leuven, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Roo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, O&N II, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xuan-Bac
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Solid State Physics and Magnetism Section, KU Leuven, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vervaele
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, O&N II, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kecskés
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, O&N II, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annelii
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ny
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, O&N II, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Daniëlle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Copmans
authors.affiliation: Center for Environment and Health Leuven, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, O&N I, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vriens
authors.affiliation: Solid State Physics and Magnetism Section, KU Leuven, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Locquet
authors.affiliation: Center for Environment and Health Leuven, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, O&N I, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoet
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, O&N II, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter A M
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: de Witte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects*; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D010316:Particle Size; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D012822:Silicon Dioxide