Histological analysis of 70-nm silica particles-induced chronic toxicity in mice

• Published in: European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics 2009-08, Vol.72 (3), p.626-629
• Main Authors: Nishimori, Hikaru, Kondoh, Masuo, Isoda, Katsuhiro, Tsunoda, Shin-ichi, Tsutsumi, Yasuo, Yagi, Kiyohito
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - etiology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - pathology; Chronic Disease; General pharmacology; Histocytochemistry - methods; Histological analysis; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - pathology; Liver; Lung - drug effects; Lung - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nanotoxicology; Particle Size; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Silica particle; Silicon Dioxide - administration & dosage; Silicon Dioxide - toxicity; Spleen; Splenic Diseases - chemically induced; Splenic Diseases - pathology
• ISSN: 0939-6411; 1873-3441
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2009.03.007

Nano-sized silica is a promising material for disease diagnosis, cosmetics and drugs. For the successful application of nano-sized material in bioscience, evaluation of nano-sized material toxicity is important. We previously found that nano-sized silica particles with a diameter of 70 nm showed acute liver failure in mice. Here, we performed histological analysis of major organs such as the liver, spleen, lung, kidney, brain and heart in mice, chronically injected with 70-nm silica particles for 4 weeks. Histological analysis revealed hepatic microgranulation and splenic megakaryocyte accumulation in these 70-nm silica particles treated mice, while the kidney, lung, brain and heart remained unaffected. Thus, liver and spleen appear to be the major target organs for toxicity by the chronic administration of the 70-nm silica particles.