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4 . 2015

Toxicological assessment of nanostructured silica. III. Microecological, hematological indices, state of cellular immunity

Abstract

This paper is the third in a series of publications on the experimental study of subacute oral toxicity of nanostructured silicon dioxide (SiO2). We used commercial nanostructured SiO2, obtained by hydrolysis of tetrachlorosilane in the gaseous phase, with the size of the primary nanoparticles (NPs) of 5–30 nm. The aqueous dispersion of SiO2 after treatment with ultrasound was administered to rats with initial weight of 80±5 g for the first 30 days by intragastric gavage and further for 60 days with diets in doses of 0,1; 1,0; 10 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day. Animals of the control group were treated with deionized water. The amount of basic and transient populations of gut microbiocenosis, hematological indexes were measured using standard methods. Specific content of the B-lymphocytes (CD45RA+), total T-lymphocytes (CD3+), T-helper cells (CD4+), T-cytotoxic cells (CD8+), NK-cells (CD161a+) in general population of lymphocytes was evaluated by flow cytometry; serum cytokine levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10 were determined by ELISA. No significant changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition of the intestinal microbiota populations regardless of the dose of administered nanomaterial have been found. This gave reason to believe that the postulated mechanism of the toxic effects of the NPs of SiO2, mediated by modification of the composition of the intestinal microflora and the corresponding changes in its functional activity, apparently, is not realized. The main target of nanostructured SiO2 was the T-cellular system of the immune system of animals, that was manifested in the significant decrease of the number of leukocytes (33%), number of T-helper cells (13%), CD4/CD8 ratio (27%) and increasing the number of cytotoxic lymphocytes (19%) and the level of TNF-α (590%). The value of the maximum dose (NOAEL) of nanostructured SiO2, has no effect on T-cell immunity was not more than 100 mg / kg body weight per day.

Keywords:silica, nanoparticles, rats, subacute toxicity, intestinal microbiome, erythrocytes, leukocytes, cellular immunity, cytokines

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CHIEF EDITOR
CHIEF EDITOR
Viktor A. Tutelyan
Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Scientific Director of the Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety (Moscow, Russia)

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