Exp Mol Med.  2015 Jul;47(7):e173. 10.1038/emm.2015.50.

Acute exposure to silica nanoparticles aggravate airway inflammation: different effects according to surface characteristics

• Park HJ
• Sohn JH
• Kim YJ
• Park YH
• Han H
• Park KH
• Lee K
• Choi H
• Um K
• Choi IH
• Park JW
• Lee JH

• KMID: 2155427
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/emm.2015.50

Abstract

Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) are widely used in many scientific and industrial fields despite the lack of proper evaluation of their potential toxicity. This study examined the effects of acute exposure to SNPs, either alone or in conjunction with ovalbumin (OVA), by studying the respiratory systems in exposed mouse models. Three types of SNPs were used: spherical SNPs (S-SNPs), mesoporous SNPs (M-SNPs), and PEGylated SNPs (P-SNPs). In the acute SNP exposure model performed, 6-week-old BALB/c female mice were intranasally inoculated with SNPs for 3 consecutive days. In the OVA/SNPs asthma model, the mice were sensitized two times via the peritoneal route with OVA. Additionally, the mice endured OVA with or without SNP challenges intranasally. Acute SNP exposure induced significant airway inflammation and airway hyper-responsiveness, particularly in the S-SNP group. In OVA/SNPs asthma models, OVA with SNP-treated group showed significant airway inflammation, more than those treated with only OVA and without SNPs. In these models, the P-SNP group induced lower levels of inflammation on airways than both the S-SNP or M-SNP groups. Interleukin (IL)-5, IL-13, IL-1beta and interferon-gamma levels correlated with airway inflammation in the tested models, without statistical significance. In the mouse models studied, increased airway inflammation was associated with acute SNPs exposure, whether exposed solely to SNPs or SNPs in conjunction with OVA. P-SNPs appear to be relatively safer for clinical use than S-SNPs and M-SNPs, as determined by lower observed toxicity and airway system inflammation.

MeSH Terms

Animals
Asthma/*chemically induced/pathology
Female
Inflammation/*chemically induced/pathology
Interferon-gamma/analysis
Interleukins/analysis
Lung/drug effects/*pathology
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Nanoparticles/*adverse effects/chemistry
Ovalbumin/adverse effects
Polyethylene Glycols/adverse effects/chemistry
Silicon Dioxide/*adverse effects/chemistry
Surface Properties
Interleukins
Interferon-gamma
Ovalbumin
Polyethylene Glycols
Silicon Dioxide