Subacute toxic effects of silver nanoparticles oral administration and withdrawal on the structure and function of adult Albino Rats' hepatic tissue

Shimaa Mohammad Yousof; Horeya Erfan; Marwa Mohamed Hosny; Shaimaa A Shehata; Karima El-Sayed

doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.02.054

Subacute toxic effects of silver nanoparticles oral administration and withdrawal on the structure and function of adult Albino Rats' hepatic tissue

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2022 May;29(5):3890-3898. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.02.054. Epub 2022 Mar 11.

Authors

Shimaa Mohammad Yousof¹, Horeya Erfan², Marwa Mohamed Hosny³, Shaimaa A Shehata⁴, Karima El-Sayed¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
² Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
³ Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as well as Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

Abstract

Products containing Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are becoming vastly used in our daily life. The widespread increased introduction of Ag NPs in many aspects of life has raised researchers' concerns regarding their safety and toxicity for biological and environmental life in the past few years. The current study aimed to explore the subsequent effects of Ag NPs withdrawal, following short-term oral administration. Eighteen rats were assigned randomly into three groups (control group "1" and AG NPs treated groups "2" and "3"; 6 animals each). The control group received normal food and tap water while groups 2 & 3 received 0.5 ml of a solution containing 25 ppm Ag NPs for 14 days. Group 2 rats were sacrificed on day 14 whereas group 3 was left for another 14 days of particle cessation followed by euthanasia on day 28. Functional assessment was done by liver enzyme assays, hydrogen peroxide activity, hepatic Bdnf expression, and P53 immunoreactivity. Hepatic tissue structural assessment was done via hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff as well as Masson's trichrome stains. The results revealed a significant elevation of Hydrogen peroxide in group 2 only compared to the control group. Hepatic Bdnf and liver enzymes were both insignificantly affected. Structural abnormalities and enhanced apoptosis in hepatic tissue were found 14 days after ceasing the nanoparticles. In conclusion: Structural and functional insults following Ag NPs oral administration continues after particle withdrawal, and interestingly they do not necessitate apparent reflection on liver enzyme assays.

Keywords: ALT, Alanine Transaminase; AST, Aspartate Transaminase; Ag NPs, Silver Nanoparticles; Bdnf, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; H&E, Hematoxylin & Eosin stain; H2o2, Hydrogen Peroxide; HCC, Hepatocellular Carcinoma; Hepatic Bdnf; Hepatotoxicity; Hydrogen peroxide; Liver enzymes; Masson's trichrome stains; NaBH4, Sodium Borohydride; Nanoparticles, (NPs); PAS, Periodic acid-Schiff; PVP, Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone; RNA, Ribonucleic acid; ROS, Reactive Oxygen Species; SGOT, Serum Glutamate oxaloacetate Transaminase; SGPT, Serum Glutamate pyruvate Transaminase; Silver Nanoparticles (Ag NPs); TEM, Transmission Electron Microscopy; TRI, Masson's trichrome stains; Transmission Electron Microscopy; UV–Vis, Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy; Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy; ppm, Parts Per Million.