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Immunomodulatory and antioxidant effect of green synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles on pregnant female albino rats and their fetuses

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Abstract

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are one of the various nanoparticles that have been increasingly commonly used in vital sectors. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of prenatal exposure to the chemical TiO2 NPs (CHTiO2 NPs) and green-synthesized TiO2 NPs (GTiO2 NPs) on immunological and oxidative status as well as lungs and spleen. Fifty pregnant female albino rats were divided into five groups of ten rats each: control, CHTiO2 NPs-treated groups orally received 100 and 300 mg/kg CHTiO2 NPs, and GTiO2 NPs-treated groups received 100 and 300 mg/kg GTiO2 NPs, respectively, daily for 14 days. The serum level of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, oxidative stress markers (MDA and NO), and antioxidant biomarkers (SOD and GSH-PX) were assayed. Spleen and lungs were collected from pregnant rats and fetuses for histopathological examinations. The results showed a significant increase in IL-6 levels in treated groups. In the CHTiO2 NPs-treated groups, there was a significant increase in MDA activity and a significant decrease in GSH-Px and SOD activities, revealing its oxidative effect, while GSH-Px and SOD activities significantly increased in the 300 GTiO2 NPs-treated group, confirming the antioxidant effect of green-synthesized TiO2 NPs. Histopathological findings of the spleen and lungs of the CHTiO2 NPs-treated group revealed severe congestion and thickening of the blood vessels, while those of the GTiO2 NPs-treated group revealed mild tissue alterations. It could be deduced that green synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles have immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects on pregnant female albino rats and their fetuses, with an ameliorated impact on the spleen and lung compared to chemical titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

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Data availability

Data for this study is available inside the manuscript.

Abbreviations

TiO2 NPs:

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles

CHTiO2 NPs:

Chemical titanium dioxide nanoparticles

GTiO2 NPs:

Green titanium dioxide nanoparticles

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

GSH-Px:

Glutathione peroxidase

GST:

Glutathione-S-transferase

IL-6:

Interleukin-6

TNF-α:

Tumor necrosis factor- α

TTIP:

Titanium isopropoxide

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

GD:

Gestational day

H&E:

Hematoxylin and eosin

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

SD:

Standard deviation

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Funding

This research was funded by South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, Egypt

    Zeinab Kamal

  2. Electronic and Nano Devises Lab, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, Egypt

    A. A. Ebnalwaled & Alaa H. Said

  3. General Authority for Veterinary Services, Qena Veterinary Directorate, Qena, 83523, Egypt

    Zeinab Al-Amgad

  4. National Food Safety Authority (NFSA), Aswan Branch, Aswan, 81511, Egypt

    AbdulRahman A. Saied

  5. Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Aswan Office, Aswan, 81511, Egypt

    AbdulRahman A. Saied

  6. Department of Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aswan University, Aswan, 81528, Egypt

    Asmaa A. Metwally

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  1. Zeinab Kamal
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  2. A. A. Ebnalwaled
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  3. Zeinab Al-Amgad
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  4. AbdulRahman A. Saied
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  5. Asmaa A. Metwally
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Contributions

ZK and AAE jointly developed the hypothesis and concept of the study and contributed to the chemical and material preparation, and the techniques performed. ZA-A, AAM, and AHS were involved in the experimental procedures and analyses. AAS developed the graphical abstract. AAS and AAM reviewed, revised, and edited the final version of the paper. All authors revised, edited, read, and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Asmaa A. Metwally.

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Ethics approval and consent to participate

The rats and all the procedures in this study were used in compliance with the guidelines of the Animal Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt (approval no. 002/9/22).

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Kamal, Z., Ebnalwaled, A.A., Al-Amgad, Z. et al. Immunomodulatory and antioxidant effect of green synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles on pregnant female albino rats and their fetuses. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 55455–55470 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26264-2

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