Microplastic contamination has received increasing attention in recent years, and concern regarding the toxicity of microplastics to the environment and humans has increased. In this study, we investigated the neurodevelopmental toxicity of polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) in the zebrafish Danio rerio under different exposure scenarios. Zebrafish were exposed to PSMPs during embryonic stage and then allowed the fish to recover.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGraphene oxide (GO) and graphene-based nanomaterials have been widely applied in recent years, but their potential health risk and neurotoxic potentials remain poorly understood. In this study, neurotoxic potential of GO and its underlying molecular and cellular mechanism were investigated using the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. Deposition of GO in the head region and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed in C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChem Biol Interact
September 2019
Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) are one of the popular nanomaterials used in industrial manufacturing, synthesis, engineering, and medicine. Recently, mechanisms underlying toxicity of silica nanoparticles have been reported; however, their uptake mechanisms have still not fully understood. In this study, toxicity of SiNPs was investigated in the nematode Caenohabditis elegans by using microarray and pathway analysis focusing the uptake mechanisms and their impact on toxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe conducted an inhalation toxicity test on the alternative animal model, Drosophila melanogaster, to investigate potential hazards of indoor air pollution. The inhalation toxicity of toluene and formaldehyde was investigated using comprehensive transcriptomics and computational behavior analyses. The ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) based on microarray data suggests the involvement of pathways related to immune response, stress response, and metabolism in formaldehyde and toluene exposure based on hub molecules.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe increased volumes of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) being utilized in industrial and biomedical processes carries with it an increased risk of unintentional release into the environment, requiring a thorough hazard and risk assessment. In this study, the toxicity of pristine and hydroxylated (OH-) multiwall CNTs (MWCNTs) was investigated in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using an integrated systems toxicology approach. To gain an insight into the toxic mechanism of MWCNTs, microarray and proteomics were conducted for C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: In this study, the effect of tube length and outer diameter (OD) size of hydroxylated-multi walled carbon nanotubes (OH-MWCNTs) on their uptake and toxicity was investigated in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using a functional mutant analysis.
Methods: The physicochemical properties of three different OH-MWCNTs were characterized. Uptake and toxicity were subsequently investigated on C.
In our previous in vitro study of the toxicity on silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), we observed a dramatically higher sensitivity of Jurkat T cells to AgNPs than to Ag ions, and DNA damage and apoptosis were found to be involved in that toxicity. In this study, to understand underlying mechanism of different sensitivity of Jurket T cells to AgNPs and Ag ions, mRNA microarray and micro RNA microarray were concomitantly conducted on AgNPs and Ag ions exposed Jurkat T cells. Surprisingly only a small number of genes were differentially expressed by exposure to each of the silver (15 altered mRNA by AgNPs exposure, whereas 4 altered mRNA by Ag ions exposure, as determined 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, we investigated the toxic effects of benzene to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in an integrative manner, using computational behavior and toxicogenomics analyses, along with survival and reproduction. Benzene exposure led to changes in locomotive behavior and reproduction decline in C. elegans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study examined the effects of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) surface coating and size on the organismal and molecular toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. The toxicity of bare AgNPs and 8 and 38 nm PVP-coated AgNPs (PVP8-AgNPs, PVP38-AgNPs) were compared. The toxicity of AgNO3 was also tested because ion dissolution and particle-specific effects are often important characteristics determining Ag nanotoxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe large-scale use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has raised concerns over potential impacts on the environment and human health. We previously reported that AgNP exposure causes an increase in reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, and induction of p38 MAPK and PMK-1 in Jurkat T cells and in Caenorhabditis elegans. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of AgNP toxicity, here we evaluate the effects of AgNPs on oxidative DNA damage-repair (in human and C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe raised considerable concerns about the possible environmental health and safety impacts of graphene nanomaterials and their derivatives originated from their potential widespread applications. We performed a comprehensive study about biological interaction of grapheme nanomaterials, specifically in regard to its differential surface functionalization (oxidation status), by using OMICS in graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) treated HepG2 cells. Differential surface chemistry (particularly, oxidation - O/C ratio) modulates hydrophobicity/philicity of GO/rGO which in turn governs their biological interaction potentiality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Toxicol Pharmacol
September 2013
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely used in commercial goods ranging from medical devices to home appliances. Their widespread application increase the risk related to their potential toxicity. Although several studies showed their acute hazardous effects on living animals, our understanding of chronic effects of AgNPs exposed by the environment we encounter in our everyday lives is still very limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBio-oils, which are multicomponent mixtures, were produced from two different biomass (rice straw (rice oil) and sawdust of oak tree (oak oil)) by using the slow pyrolysis process, and chemical compositional screening with GC-MS detected several hazardous compounds in both bio-oil samples. The two bio-oils vary in their chemical compositional nature and concentrations. To know the actual hazard potentialities of these bio-oils, toxicological assessments were carried out in a comparative approach by using in vitro (Jurkat T and HepG2 cell) as well as in vivo (Caenorhabditis elegans) systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present study, nanotoxicity mechanism associated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exposure was investigated on the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans focusing on the hypoxia response pathway. In order to test whether AgNPs-induced hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) activation was due to hypoxia or to oxidative stress, depletion of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the test media and a rescue effect using an antioxidant were investigated, respectively. The results suggested that oxidative stress was involved in activation of the HIF-1 pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present study, toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was investigated in the nematode, Caenohabditis elegans focusing on the upstream signaling pathway responsible for regulating oxidative stress, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. Formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed in AgNPs exposed C.elegans, suggesting oxidative stress as an important mechanism in the toxicity of AgNPs towards C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present study, a toxic mechanism of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was investigated in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, focusing on the involvement of oxidative stress in reproduction toxicity. Initially, AgNPs were tested as potential oxidative stress inducers, and increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed in AgNP-exposed C. elegans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Health Toxicol
October 2012
Objectives: In this study, we investigated the potential harmful effect of the exposure to silicon dioxide (SiO(2)) nanoparticles through in vitro toxicity assay using human bronchial epithelial cell, Beas-2B with a focus on the involvement of oxidative stress as the toxic mechanism.
Methods: SiO(2)-induced oxidative stress was assessed by examining formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the induction of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), as well as cytotoxicity effect was evaluation by cell viability. Subsequently, to understand the molecular mechanism of nanoparticle-induced oxidative stress, the involvement of oxidative stress-responding transcription factors, such as, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) and nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2), and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signal transduction pathway was also investigated.
To identify potential harmful effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on human health, a comprehensive toxicity assay was conducted on human Jurkat T cells, using oxidative stress-related endpoint. The effect of Ag ions was also investigated and compared with that of AgNPs, as it is anticipated that Ag ions will be released from AgNPs, which may be responsible for their toxicity. Cell viability tests indicated high sensitivity of Jurkat T cells when exposed to AgNPs compared to Ag ions; however, both AgNPs and Ag ions induce similar levels of cellular reactive oxygen species during the initial exposure period and; after 24 h, they were increased on exposure to AgNPs compared to Ag ions, which suggest that oxidative stress may be an indirect cause of the observed cytotoxicity of AgNPs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToxicol In Vitro
October 2009
In this study, the potentially harmful effect of the exposure to fumed and porous silicon dioxide (silica) nanoparticles was investigated using human bronchial epithelial cell, Beas-2B, with a focus on the involvement of oxidative stress as the toxic mechanism. Silica nanoparticles-induced oxidative stress was assessed by examining the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induction of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Subsequently, to understand the mechanism of nanoparticles-induced oxidative stress, the involvement of oxidative stress-responding transcription factors, such as, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2), as well as the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signal transduction pathway were investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo understand the molecular mechanism of previously observed cerium oxide (CeO(2)) nanoparticles-induced oxidative stress, an in vitro toxicity assay was conducted using human bronchial epithelial cell, Beas-2B, focusing on the involvement of the oxidative stress responding signal transduction pathway and transcription factors in the toxicity of CeO(2) nanoparticles. Extracellular signal-regulating kinase (ERK), p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways, along with nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2), were investigated as the upstream events of oxidative stress from exposure to CeO(2) nanoparticles. The overall results suggest that CeO(2) nanoparticles may exert their toxicity through oxidative stress, as they cause significant increases in the cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations, subsequently leading to the strong induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) via the p38-Nrf-2 signaling pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF