Use of Zebrafish Larvae as a Multi-Endpoint Platform to Characterize the Toxicity Profile of Silica Nanoparticles

0303 health sciences Embryo, Nonmammalian Behavior, Animal Endpoint Determination Heart Silicon Dioxide Article 3. Good health 03 medical and health sciences Animals Nanoparticles Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury Particle Size Zebrafish
DOI: 10.1038/srep37145 Publication Date: 2016-11-22T09:58:51Z
ABSTRACT
AbstractNanomaterials are being extensively produced and applied in society. Human and environmental exposures are, therefore, inevitable and so increased attention is being given to nanotoxicity. While silica nanoparticles (NP) are one of the top five nanomaterials found in consumer and biomedical products, their toxicity profile is poorly characterized. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of silica nanoparticles with diameters 20, 50 and 80 nm using an in vivo zebrafish platform that analyzes multiple endpoints related to developmental, cardio-, hepato-, and neurotoxicity. Results show that except for an acceleration in hatching time and alterations in the behavior of zebrafish embryos/larvae, silica NPs did not elicit any developmental defects, nor any cardio- and hepatotoxicity. The behavioral alterations were consistent for both embryonic photomotor and larval locomotor response and were dependent on the concentration and the size of silica NPs. As embryos and larvae exhibited a normal touch response and early hatching did not affect larval locomotor response, the behavior changes observed are most likely the consequence of modified neuroactivity. Overall, our results suggest that silica NPs do not cause any developmental, cardio- or hepatotoxicity, but they pose a potential risk for the neurobehavioral system.
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