Dietary Antioxidant Curcumin Mitigates CuO Nanoparticle-Induced Cytotoxicity through the Oxidative Stress Pathway in Human Placental Cells

Copper-Nanoparticle-Induced Neurotoxic Effect and Oxidative Stress in the Early Developmental Stage of Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) are extensively used in electronics, cosmetics, fungicides, and various other fields due to their distinctive qualities. However, this widespread usage can contribute to environmental contamination and heightened health risks for living organisms. Despite their prevalent use, the ecological impacts and biosafety of CuNPs remain inadequately understood. The present study aims to delve into the potential toxic effects of CuNPs on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos, focusing on multiple indexes such as embryonic development, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response. The results revealed a notable increase in the death rate and deformity rate, alongside varying degrees of decrease in hatching rate and heart rate following CuNPs exposure. Particularly, the frequency of spontaneous tail coiling significantly declined under exposure to CuNPs at concentrations of 500 µg/L. Furthermore, CuNPs exposure induced alterations in the transcriptional expression of GABA signaling pathway-related genes (gabra1, gad, abat, and gat1), indicating potential impacts on GABA synthesis, release, catabolism, recovery, and receptor binding. Additionally, CuNPs triggered oxidative stress, evidenced by disruption in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, along with elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. This oxidative stress subsequently led to a proinflammatory cascade, as demonstrated by the increased transcriptional expression of inflammatory markers (il-1β, tnf-α, il-6, and il-8). Comparative analysis with copper ion (provided as CuCl2) exposure highlighted more significant changes in most indexes with CuCl2, indicating greater toxicity compared to CuNPs at equivalent concentrations. In conclusion, these findings provide valuable insights into the toxic effects of CuNPs on zebrafish embryo development and neurotransmitter conduction. Furthermore, they present technical methodologies for assessing environmental and health risks associated with CuNPs, contributing to a better understanding of their biosafety and ecological impact.

Biosynthesis, characterization, and anticoagulant properties of copper nanoparticles from red seaweed of Acanthophora sp

INTRODUCTION

In the last few decades, nanoparticles have found extensive use in a variety of biological applications. Traditional medicine widely uses Acanthophora sp., a marine macroalgae, to cure and prevent diabetes, skin disorders, and blood clotting.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims to investigate whether green-synthesized copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) might work as an anticoagulant.

METHODOLOGY

The CuNPs were made using an environmentally friendly method that uses Acanthophora extract. We used UV-vis spectroscopy to assess the surface plasmon resonance of the material, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze its form, and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy to identify the material's constituent elements. Furthermore, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) determined the functional groups of the CuNPs.

RESULTS

The biosynthesis of CuNPs was confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy, which showed a surface plasmon resonance peak at 570 nm. The FT-IR analysis showed that certain functional groups are involved in the formation of CuNPs. These groups include OH stretching, C=O stretching, C-H bonding, C-N bonding, and Cu vibration. SEM analysis demonstrated the morphology of CuNPs synthesized, with a size of 0.5 μm, while EDS analysis confirmed their purity. The anticoagulant activity of prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) assays showed that the clotting time got longer depending on the concentration. The CuNPs synthesized from Acanthophora had strong anticoagulant effects at 100 μg/mL, further suggesting that they might be useful as a natural blood thinner.

CONCLUSION

The interesting thing we observed is that the green-synthesized CuNPs made from Acanthophora extract could be used in anticoagulation therapy.

Oxidative stress and potential effects of metal nanoparticles: A review of biocompatibility and toxicity concerns

Metal nanoparticles (M-NPs) have garnered significant attention due to their unique properties, driving diverse applications across packaging, biomedicine, electronics, and environmental remediation. However, the potential health risks associated with M-NPs must not be disregarded. M-NPs' ability to accumulate in organs and traverse the blood-brain barrier poses potential health threats to animals, humans, and the environment. The interaction between M-NPs and various cellular components, including DNA, multiple proteins, and mitochondria, triggers the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), influencing several cellular activities. These interactions have been linked to various effects, such as protein alterations, the buildup of M-NPs in the Golgi apparatus, heightened lysosomal hydrolases, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, cell membrane impairment, cytoplasmic disruption, and fluctuations in ATP levels. Despite the evident advantages M-NPs offer in diverse applications, gaps in understanding their biocompatibility and toxicity necessitate further research. This review provides an updated assessment of M-NPs' pros and cons across different applications, emphasizing associated hazards and potential toxicity. To ensure the responsible and safe use of M-NPs, comprehensive research is conducted to fully grasp the potential impact of these nanoparticles on both human health and the environment. By delving into their intricate interactions with biological systems, we can navigate the delicate balance between harnessing the benefits of M-NPs and minimizing potential risks. Further exploration will pave the way for informed decision-making, leading to the conscientious development of these nanomaterials and safeguarding the well-being of society and the environment.

Silica nanoparticles induce male reproductive toxicity via Crem hypermethylation mediated spermatocyte apoptosis and sperm flagella damage

Exposure to silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) could causally contribute to malfunctioning of the spermatogenesis, but the underlying mechanism is rarely known. This study was designed to explore the mechanism of Crem hypermethylation in SiNP-induced reproductive toxicity. The male mice were exposure to SiNPs (0 and 20 mg/kg·bw) once every 5 days via intratracheal instillation for 35 days. After exposure stopped, half of each group was killed, and the rest were sacrificed after another 15-day feeding. GC-2 cells were treated with 0 and 20 μg/mL SiNPs. The results showed that SiNPs led to structure damage of spermatocyte and sperm, caused spermatocyte apoptosis, and decreased sperm quantity and quality. After 15 days of the withdrawal, the testicular tissue damage gradually recovered. Mechanistic study showed that SiNPs induced hypermethylation of the gene of cAMP responsive element modulator (Crem) in the promoter region. Downregulation of Crem inhibited the expression of outer dense fiber 1 (Odf1), resulting in abnormal sperm flagella structure; at the same time, Crem inhibited the expression of Bcl-xl, causing upregulation of cytochrome-C, cleaved-caspase-9/caspase-9, cleaved-caspase-3/caspase-3, resulting in mitochondrial dependent apoptotic pathway. However, 5-aza, DNA methylation inhibitor, could reverse the SiNP-induced downregulation of Crem and reverse the Crem/Bcl-xl-mediated mitochondrial dependent apoptotic pathway. These results suggested SiNPs could disrupt spermatogenesis by causing Crem hypermethylation to regulate the Odf1 and Bcl-xl in spermatocytes resulting in the sperm flagella structure and spermatocyte apoptosis. Our study provided new insights into the male reproductive toxicity mechanism of SiNPs; Crem demethylation may be a potential way to prevent reproductive dysfunction from SiNP exposure.

Copper oxide nanoparticles: In vitro and in vivo toxicity, mechanisms of action and factors influencing their toxicology

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) have received increasing interest due to their distinctive properties, including small particle size, high surface area, and reactivity. Due to these properties, their applications have been expanded rapidly in various areas such as biomedical properties, industrial catalysts, gas sensors, electronic materials, and environmental remediation. However, because of these widespread uses, there is now an increased risk of human exposure, which could lead to short- and long-term toxicity. This review addresses the underlying toxicity mechanisms of CuO NPs in cells which include reactive oxygen species generation, leaching of Cu ion, coordination effects, non-homeostasis effect, autophagy, and inflammation. In addition, different key factors responsible for toxicity, characterization, surface modification, dissolution, NPs dose, exposure pathways and environment are discussed to understand the toxicological impact of CuO NPs. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that CuO NPs cause oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and inflammation in bacterial, algal, fish, rodents, and human cell lines. Therefore, to make CuO NPs a more suitable candidate for various applications, it is essential to address their potential toxic effects, and hence, more studies should be done on the long-term and chronic impacts of CuO NPs at different concentrations to assure the safe usage of CuO NPs.