Boron and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are increasingly used in different industrial fields and, potentially, in some biomedical areas. As occurs with other nanomaterials (NMs), to increase our knowledge on their potential health hazards is a priority. Although in vitro approaches are a routine in getting biological information on the biological effects of NMs, the use of simple in vivo model organisms is receiving an increased interest. In this context, Drosophila melanogaster is widely used as a eukaryotic model for the study of the potential harmful effects associated with various agents, including NMs. The aim of this study is to provide new data on the potential antioxidant/antigenotoxic properties of boron and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), as well as on other biological end-points. Our results show changes in the expression of genes involved in the antioxidant defense (CAT and SOD), and in those rel0061ted to the integrity of the intestinal barrier (Duox, Hml, Muc68D, and PPO2), at the highest exposure doses (5, 10 mM). However, non-relevant toxic or genotoxic effects were observed. Interestingly, BNNTs and boron significantly reduced the genotoxic effect of potassium dichromate (PDC), and the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This suggest that the observed effects can be linked to the antioxidant properties of BNNTs and boron. This is the first study reporting antigenotoxicity/genotoxicity, and gene expression data, in the somatic cells of D. melanogaster larvae for BNNTs.
Keywords: Antigenotoxicity; Drosophila melanogaster; boron; boron nitride nanotubes; gene expression.