Silica Nanoparticle Acute Toxicity on Male Rattus norvegicus Domestica: Ethological Behavior, Hematological Disorders, Biochemical Analyses, Hepato-Renal Function, and Antioxidant-Immune Response

Taghreed N Almanaa; Mohamed Aref; Mian Adnan Kakakhel; Gehad E Elshopakey; Heba H Mahboub; Aaser Mohamed Abdelazim; Samar Kamel; Tareg M Belali; Mosleh M Abomughaid; Muhanad Alhujaily; Esraa M Fahmy; Mohamed Ezzat Assayed; Gomaa Mostafa-Hedeab; Walid M Daoush

doi:10.3389/fbioe.2022.868111

Silica Nanoparticle Acute Toxicity on Male Rattus norvegicus Domestica: Ethological Behavior, Hematological Disorders, Biochemical Analyses, Hepato-Renal Function, and Antioxidant-Immune Response

Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022 Apr 7:10:868111. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.868111. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Taghreed N Almanaa¹, Mohamed Aref², Mian Adnan Kakakhel³, Gehad E Elshopakey⁴, Heba H Mahboub⁵, Aaser Mohamed Abdelazim⁶, Samar Kamel⁷, Tareg M Belali⁸, Mosleh M Abomughaid⁸, Muhanad Alhujaily⁸, Esraa M Fahmy⁹, Mohamed Ezzat Assayed^{10

11}, Gomaa Mostafa-Hedeab^{12

13}, Walid M Daoush^{14

15}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
³ MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
⁴ Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
⁵ Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
⁶ Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
⁸ Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
¹⁰ Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Egypt.
¹¹ Head of Coordination and Follow-up Unit, General Requirments Center, Deanship of Supportive Studies, Taif University, Ta'if, Saudi Arabia.
¹² Pharmacology Department and Health Research Unit-medical College, Jouf University, Sakakah, Saudi Arabia.
¹³ Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt.
¹⁴ Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁵ Department of Production Technology, Faculty of Technology and Education, Helwan University, Helwan, Egypt.

Abstract

With extensive production and various applications of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs), there is a controversy regarding the ecotoxicological impacts of SiNPs. Therefore, the current study was aimed to assess the acute toxicity of silica nanoparticles in male Rattus norvegicus domestica after 24 and 96 h. Hematological, serum biochemical, stress biomarker, and immune-antioxidant parameters were addressed. Chemical composition, crystal structure, and the particle shape and morphology of SiNPs were investigated using XRD, FTIR, BET, UV-Vis, and SEM, while TEM was used to estimate the average size distribution of particles. For the exposure experiment, 48 male rats were divided into four groups (12 rat/group) and gavaged daily with different levels of zero (control), 5, 10, and 20 mg of SiNPs corresponding to zero, 31.25, 62.5, and 125 mg per kg of body weight. Sampling was carried out after 24 and 96 h. Relative to the control group, the exposure to SiNPs induced clear behavioral changes such as inactivity, lethargy, aggressiveness, and screaming. In a dose-dependent manner, the behavior scores recorded the highest values. Pairwise comparisons with the control demonstrated a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in hematological and immunological biomarkers [lysozymes and alternative complement activity (ACH50)] with a concomitant reduction in the antioxidant enzymes [catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] in all exposed groups to SiNPs. On the contrary, there was a noticeable increase in biochemical parameters (glucose, cortisol, creatinine, urea, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), total protein, and albumin) and hepato-renal indicators, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), of all SiNP-exposed groups. It was observed that SiNPs induced acute toxicity, either after 24 h or 96 h, post-exposure of rats to SiNPs evidenced by ethological changes, hepato-renal dysfunction, hyperlipemia, and severe suppression in hematological, protein, stress, and immune-antioxidant biomarkers reflecting an impaired physiological status. The obtained outcomes create a foundation for future research to consider the acute toxicity of nanoparticles to preserve human health and sustain the environment.

Keywords: acute toxicity; biochemical profile; hematological picture; male Rattus norvegicus domestica; silica nanoparticles.