Toxicopathological and immunological studies on different concentrations of chitosan-coated silver nanoparticles in rats

• Published in: International journal of nanomedicine 2019-07, Vol.14, p.4723-4739
• Main Authors: Hassanen, Eman Ibrahim, Khalaf, Abdelazeem Ali, Tohamy, Adel Fathy, Mohammed, Eman Ragab, Farroh, Khaled Yehia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural research; Alanine Transaminase - blood; Animals; Apoptosis; Aspartate; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Body weight; Caspase 3 - metabolism; Cell cycle; Chitosan - chemistry; Chitosan-coated silver nanoparticles; Creatinine - blood; Cytotoxicity; DNA damage; Drug dosages; Gene expression; Glutathione - metabolism; Hematology; Hemorrhage; Histochemistry; Histopathology; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Immunoglobulins; Immunotoxicity; Kidney - drug effects; Kidneys; Laboratory animals; Liver; Liver - drug effects; Liver - pathology; Lungs; Macrophages; Male; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Metal Nanoparticles - toxicity; Metal Nanoparticles - ultrastructure; Molecular weight; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Necrosis; Nitrates; Original Research; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen - metabolism; Rats, Wistar; Silver; Silver - toxicity; Spleen - drug effects; Spleen - pathology; Studies; Toxicity; Toxicology; Transmission electron microscopy; Veterinary medicine
• ISSN: 1178-2013; 1176-9114; 1178-2013
• DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S207644

Much consideration has been paid to the toxicological assessment of nanoparticles prior to clinical and biological applications. While in vitro studies have been expanding continually, in vivo investigations of nanoparticles have not developed a cohesive structure. This study aimed to assess the acute toxicity of different concentrations of chitosan-coated silver nanoparticles (Ch-AgNPs) in main organs, including liver, kidneys, and spleen. Twenty-eight male albino rats were used and divided into 4 groups (n=7). Group 1 was kept as a negative control group. Groups 2, 3, and 4 were treated intraperitoneally with Ch-AgNPs each day for 14 days at doses of 50, 25, and 10 mg/kg body weight (bwt) respectively. Histopathological, morphometric and immunohistochemical studies were performed as well as oxidative stress evaluations, and specific functional examinations for each organ were elucidated. It was revealed that Ch-AgNPs induced dose-dependent toxicity, and the repeated dosing of rats with 50 mg/kg Ch-AgNPs induced severe toxicities. Histopathological examination showed congestion, hemorrhage, cellular degeneration, apoptosis and necrosis in hepatic and renal tissue as well as lymphocytic depletion with increasing tangible macrophages in the spleen. The highest levels of malondialdehyde, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase (MDA, ALT, AST) and the lowest levels of reduced glutathione, immunoglobulin G, M and total protein (GSH, IgG, IgM, TP) were observed in this group. On the other hand, repeated dosing with 25 mg/kg induced mild to moderate disturbance in the previous parameters, while there was no significant difference in results of pathological examination and biochemical tests between the control group and those treated with 10 mg/kg bwt Ch-AgNPs. Chitosan-coated silver nanoparticles induce dose-dependent adverse effects on rats.