Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Possible role of nano-sized particles in chronic tonsillitis and tonsillar carcinoma: a pilot study

  • Head and Neck
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the palatine tonsils of patients with chronic tonsillitis and spinocellular carcinoma to determine the presence of nano-sized particles. Tonsil samples from adult patients with chronic tonsillitis and spinocellular carcinoma of the palatine tonsil were dried and analyzed using a scanning electron microscope with the X-ray microprobe of an energy-dispersive spectroscope. Demographic data and smoking histories were obtained. The principal metals found in almost all tissues analyzed were iron, chromium, nickel, aluminum, zinc, and copper. No significant difference in elemental composition was found between the group of patients with chronic tonsillitis and the group with spinocellular carcinoma of the palatine tonsil. Likewise, no significant difference was found between the group of smokers and the group of nonsmokers. The presence of various micro- and nano-sized metallic particles in human tonsils was confirmed. These particles may potentially cause an inflammatory response as well as neoplastic changes in human palatine tonsils similar to those occurring in the lungs. Further and more detailed studies addressing this issue, including studies designed to determine the chemical form of the metals detected, studies devoted to quantitative analysis, biokinetics, and to the degradation and elimination of nanoparticles are needed for a more detailed prediction of the relation between the diagnosis and the presence of specific metal nanoparticles in tonsillar tissue.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Monteiro-Riviere NA, Tran CL (2007) Nanotoxicology: characterization, dosing and health effects. Informa Healthcare, Inc, New York

    Google Scholar 

  2. Donaldson K, Stone V, Tran CL et al (2004) Nanotoxicology. Occup Environ Med 61:727–728

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Oberdörster G, Oberdörster E, Oberdörster J (2005) Nanotoxicology: an emerging discipline evolving from studies of ultrafine particles. Environ Health Perspect 13:823–840

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Singh S, Nalwa HS (2007) Nanotechnology and health safety—toxicity and risk assessments of nanostructured materials on human health. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 7:3048–3070

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. HSE (2004) Health effects of particles produced for nanotechnologies. EH75/6 HSE Books 2004

  6. Kukutschová J, Roubíček V, Mašláň M et al (2010) Wear performance and wear debris of semimetallic automotive brake materials. Wear 268:86–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Buonanno G, Morawska L, Stanule L (2009) Particle emission factors during cooking activities. Atmos Environ 43:3235–3242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Oberdörster G, Sharp Z, Atudorei V et al (2004) Translocation of inhaled ultrafine particles to the brain. Inhal Toxicol 16:437–445

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Elder A, Gelein R, Silva V et al (2006) Translocation of inhaled ultrafine manganese oxide particles to the central nervous system. Environ Health Perspect 114:1172–1178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Geiser M, Rothen-Rutishauser B, Kapp N et al (2005) Ultrafine particles cross cellular membranes by non-phagocytic mechanisms in lungs and in cultured cells. Environ Health Perspect 113:1555–1560

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Geiser H, Kreyling WG (2010) Deposition and biokinetics of inhaled nanoparticles. Particle Fibre Toxicol 7:2. doi:10.1186/1743-8977-7-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Li N, Sioutas C, Cho A et al (2003) Ultrafine particulate pollutants induce oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage. Environ Health Perspect 111:455–460

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Singh N, Manshian B, Jenkins GJS et al (2009) NanoGenotoxicology: The DNA damaging potential of engineered nanomaterials. Biomaterials 30:3891–3914

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Donaldson K, Poland CA, Schins RP (2010) Possible genotoxic mechanisms of nanoparticles: criteria for improved test strategies. Nanotoxicology 4:414–420

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Oberdörster G (2001) Pulmonary effects of inhaled ultrafine particles. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 74:1–8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Delfino RJ, Sioutas C, Malik S (2005) Potential role of ultrafine particles in associations between airborne particle mass and cardiovascular health. Environ Health Perspect 113:934–946

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Antonini JM, Lewis AB, Roberts JR et al (2003) Pulmonary effects of welding fumes: review of worker and experimental animal studies. Am J Ind Med 43:350–360

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Shi X, Castranova V, Halliwell B et al (1998) Reactive oxygen species and silica-induced carcinogenesis. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev 1:181–197

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kazi TG, Jalbani N, Arain MB et al (2009) Toxic metals distribution in different components of Pakistani and imported cigarettes by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer. J Hazard Mater 163:302–307

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kukutschova J, Roubiček V, Malachova K et al (2009) Wear mechanism in automotive brake materials, wear debris and its potential environmental impact. Wear 267:807–817

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Iijima A, Sato K, Yano K et al (2007) Particle size and composition distribution analysis of automotive brake abrasion dusts for the evaluation of antimony sources of airborne particulate matter. Atmos Environ 41:4908–4919

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Councell TB, Duckenfield KU, Landa ER et al (2004) Tire-wear particles as a source of zinc to the environment. Environ Sci Technol 38:4206–4214

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Antonini JM, Afshari AA, Stone S et al (2006) Design, construction, and characterization of a novel robotic welding fume generator and inhalation exposure system for laboratory animals. J Occup Environ Hyg 3:194–203

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Gibbs BM, Thompson D, Argent BB (2008) Mobilisation of trace elements from as-supplied and additionally cleaned coal: predictions for Ba, Be, Cd, Co., Mo, Nb, Sb, V and W. Fuel 87:1217–1229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank MSc. Hana Tomášková, Ph. D. from the Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health, Medical Faculty of the Ostrava University, Czech Republic, for her help with statistical analysis. The research was supported by the Czech Ministry of Education (projects number MSM 6198910016 and CZ.1.05/2.1.00/01.0040).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 1790, 708 52, Ostrava, Czech Republic

    Karol Zeleník, Lenka Čábalová & Pavel Komínek

  2. Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Syllabova 19, 703 00, Ostrava, Czech Republic

    Karol Zeleník & Jana Dvořáčková

  3. Nanotechnology Centre, Technical University of Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 15/2172, 708 33, Ostrava, Czech Republic

    Jana Kukutschová & Pavlína Peikertová

  4. Department of Pathology, University Hospital Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 1790, 708 52, Ostrava, Czech Republic

    Hana Bielniková

Authors
  1. Karol Zeleník
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jana Kukutschová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jana Dvořáčková
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hana Bielniková
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pavlína Peikertová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Lenka Čábalová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Pavel Komínek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karol Zeleník.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zeleník, K., Kukutschová, J., Dvořáčková, J. et al. Possible role of nano-sized particles in chronic tonsillitis and tonsillar carcinoma: a pilot study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 270, 705–709 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-012-2069-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-012-2069-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation