Response of immature rats to a low dose of nanoparticulate silver: Alterations in behavior, cerebral vasculature-related transcriptome and permeability

Cerebral Vascular Toxicity after Developmental Exposure to Arsenic (As) and Lead (Pb) Mixtures

Arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) are environmental pollutants found in common sites linked to similar adverse health effects. This study determined driving factors of neurotoxicity on the developing cerebral vasculature with As and Pb mixture exposures. Cerebral vascular toxicity was evaluated at mixture concentrations of As and Pb representing human exposures levels (10 or 100 parts per billion; ppb; µg/L) in developing zebrafish by assessing behavior, morphology, and gene expression. In the visual motor response assay, hyperactivity was observed in all three outcomes in dark phases in larvae with exposure (1-120 h post fertilization, hpf) to 10 ppb As, 10 ppb Pb, or 10 ppb mix treatment. Time spent moving exhibited hyperactivity in dark phases for 100 ppb As and 100 ppb mix treatment groups only. A decreased brain length and ratio of brain length to total length in the 10 ppb mix group was measured with no alterations in other treatment groups or other endpoints (i.e., total larval length, head length, or head width). Alternatively, measurements of cerebral vasculature in the midbrain and cerebellum uncovered decreased total vascularization at 72 hpf in all treatment groups in the mesencephalon and in all treatment groups, except the 100 ppb Pb and 10 ppb As groups, in the cerebellum. In addition, decreased sprouting and branching occurred in the mesencephalon, while only decreased branching was measured in the cerebellum. The 10 ppb Pb group showed several cerebral vasculature modifications that were aligned with a specific gene expression alteration pattern different from other treatment groups. Additionally, the 100 ppb As group drove gene alterations, along with several other endpoints, for changes observed in the 100 ppb mix treatment group. Perturbations assessed in this study displayed non-linear concentration-responses, which are important to consider in environmental health outcomes for As and Pb neurotoxicity.

Long-term application of silver nanoparticles in dental restoration materials: potential toxic injury to the CNS

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have durable and remarkable antimicrobial effects on pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, in dental plaques. As such, they are widely added to dental restoration materials, including composite resins, denture bases, adhesives, and implants, to solve the problems of denture stomatitis, peri-implant inflammation, and oral infection caused by the long-term use of these dental restoration materials. However, AgNPs can be absorbed into the blood circulatory system through the nasal/oral mucosa, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and other pathways and then distributed into the lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen, and testes, thereby causing toxic injury to these tissues and organs. It can even be transported across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and continuously accumulate in brain tissues, causing injury and dysfunction of neurons and glial cells; consequently, neurotoxicity occurs. Other nanomaterials with antibacterial or remineralization properties are added to dental restoration materials with AgNPs. However, studies have yet to reveal the neurotoxicity caused by dental restoration materials containing AgNPs. In this review, we summarize the application of AgNPs in dental restoration materials, the mechanism of AgNPs in cytotoxicity and toxic injury to the BBB, and the related research on the accumulation of AgNPs to cause changes of neurotoxicity. We also discuss the mechanisms of neurotoxicity caused by AgNPs and the mode and rate of AgNPs released from dental restorative materials added with AgNPs to evaluate the probability of neurotoxic injury to the central nervous system (CNS), and then provide a theoretical basis for developing new composite dental restoration materials. Mechanism of neurotoxicity caused by AgNPs: AgNPs in the blood circulation enter the brain tissue after being transported across the BBB through transendothelial cell pathway and paracellular transport pathway, and continuously accumulate in brain tissue, causing damage and dysfunction of neurons and glial cells which ultimately leads to neurotoxicity. The uptake of AgNPs by neurons, astrocytes and microglia causes damage to these cells. AgNPs with non-neurotoxic level often increases the secretion of a variety of cytokines, up-regulates the expression of metallothionein in glial cells, even up-regulates autophagy and inflammation response to protect neurons from the toxic damage of AgNPs. However, the protective effect of glial cells induced by AgNPs exposure to neurotoxic levels is insufficient, which leads to neuronal damage and dysfunction and even neuronal programmed cell death, eventually cause neurotoxicity.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Underlies Nanosilver-Induced Neurotoxicity in Immature Rat Brain

The growing production of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and their widespread use in medical and consumer products, poses a potential threat to the environment and raises questions about biosafety. Immature organisms are particularly susceptible to various insults during development. The biological characteristics of immature organisms are different from those of adults, and dictate the consequences of exposure to various toxic substances, including AgNPs. Nanoparticles are highly reactive and can easily cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) to accumulate in brain tissues. It is therefore important to investigate the molecular mechanisms of AgNP-induced neurotoxicity in the developing brain. Immature 2-week-old rats were exposed to a low dose of AgNPs (0.2 mg/kg b.w.) over a long period. Subsequently, brain tissues of the animals were subjected to ultrastructural and molecular analyses to determine endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Ultrastructural markers of ER stress, such as pathological alterations in the ER and elongated forms of mitochondria accompanied by autophagy structures, were confirmed to be present in AgNP-exposed rat brain. Evidence for induction of ER stress in neurons was also provided by molecular markers. Upregulation of genes related to the ER-stress-induced unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway, such as GRP78, PERK, and CHOP ATF-6, was observed at the transcriptional and translational levels. The results show that prolonged exposure of immature rats to a low dose of AgNPs during the developmental period leads to induction of ER stress in the neurons of the developing brain. Simultaneously, in response to AgNP-induced ER stress, neurons promote protective mechanisms that partially compensate for ER stress by regulating the biodynamic processes of mitochondria and autophagy.

How Nanoparticles Open the Paracellular Route of Biological Barriers: Mechanisms, Applications, and Prospects

Biological barriers are essential physiological protective systems and obstacles to drug delivery. Nanoparticles (NPs) can access the paracellular route of biological barriers, either causing adverse health impacts on humans or producing therapeutic opportunities. This Review introduces the structural and functional influences of NPs on the key components that govern the paracellular route, mainly tight junctions, adherens junctions, and cytoskeletons. Furthermore, we evaluate their interaction mechanisms and address the influencing factors that determine the ability of NPs to open the paracellular route, which provides a better knowledge of how NPs can open the paracellular route in a safer and more controllable way. Finally, we summarize limitations in the research models and methodologies of the existing research in the field and provide future research direction. This Review demonstrates the in-depth causes for the reversible opening or destruction of the integrity of barriers generated by NPs; more importantly, it contributes insights into the design of NP-based medications to boost paracellular drug delivery efficiency.

Developmental neurotoxicity of silver nanoparticles: the current state of knowledge and future directions

The increasing production and use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as an antimicrobial agent in an array of medical and commercial products, including those designed for infants and children, poses a substantial risk of exposure during the developmental period. This review summarizes current knowledge on developmental neurotoxicity of AgNPs in both pre- and post-natal stages with a focus on the biological specificity of immature organisms that predisposes them to neurotoxic insults as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying AgNP-induced neurotoxicity. The current review revealed that AgNPs increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and selectively damage neurons in the brain of immature rats exposed pre and postnatally. Among the AgNP-induced molecular mechanisms underlying toxic insult is cellular stress, which can consequently lead to cell death. Glutamatergic neurons and NMDAR-mediated neurotransmission also appear to be a target for AgNPs during the postnatal period of exposure. Collected data indicate also that our current knowledge of the impact of AgNPs on the developing nervous system remains insufficient and further studies are required during different stages of development with investigation of environmentally-relevant doses of exposure.

Nanosystems and exosomes as future approaches in treating multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease of the central nervous system which leads to neurological dysfunctions and severe disabilities. MS pathology is characterised by damage of the blood-brain barrier and infiltration of autoreactive T cells that overactivate glial cells, thereby initiating neuroinflammation accompanied by the formation of demyelinating plaques and neurodegeneration. Clinical deficits in this multifactorial disease depend on the progression of myelin loss, the stage of inflammation, the status of axons and the activity of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Despite significant progress in the treatment of MS, current therapies remain limited and new approaches are highly desirable. Nanosystems based on liposomes and nanoparticles are among some of the more noteworthy therapeutic strategies being investigated. Applications of nanosystems alone or as drug carriers in animal models of MS have been found to successfully alleviate the symptoms of the disease and exert anti-inflammatory potential. Exosomes are a specific type of nanosystem based on nanometre-sized extracellular vesicles released by different cells which exhibit important healing features. Exosomes contain an array of anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agents which may contribute to modulation of the immune system as well as promoting remyelination and tissue repair. In this review, opportunities to use nanosystems against progression of MS will be discussed in context of cell-specific pathologies associated with MS.

Early and Delayed Impact of Nanosilver on the Glutamatergic NMDA Receptor Complex in Immature Rat Brain

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are the one of the most extensively used nanomaterials. The strong antimicrobial properties of AgNPs have led to their use in a wide range of medical and consumer products. Although the neurotoxicity of AgNPs has been confirmed, the molecular mechanisms have not been extensively studied, particularly in immature organisms. Based on information gained from previous in vitro studies, in the present work, we examine whether ionotropic NMDA glutamate receptors contribute to AgNP-induced neurotoxicity in an animal model of exposure. In brains of immature rats subjected to a low dose of AgNPs, we identified ultrastructural and molecular alterations in the postsynaptic region of synapses where NMDA receptors are localized as a multiprotein complex. We revealed decreased expression of several NMDA receptor complex-related proteins, such as GluN1 and GluN2B subunits, scaffolding proteins PSD95 and SynGAP, as well as neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Elucidating the changes in NMDA receptor-mediated molecular mechanisms induced by AgNPs, we also identified downregulation of the GluN2B-PSD95-nNOS-cGMP signaling pathway which maintains LTP/LTD processes underlying learning and memory formation during development. This observation is accompanied by decreased density of NMDA receptors, as assessed by a radioligand binding assay. The observed effects are reversible over the post-exposure time. This investigation reveals that NMDA receptors in immature rats are a target of AgNPs, thereby indicating the potential health hazard for children and infants resulting from the extensive use of products containing AgNPs.