Toxicity of nano-anatase TiO₂ to mice: Liver injury, oxidative stress

Abstract

There are concerns regarding the toxicity of nano-TiO₂, but data are limited on the mechanism underlying oxidative damage to liver of mice. In order to further study these mechanisms of nano-TiO₂ particles, nano-anatase TiO₂ (5 nm) were injected into the abdominal cavity of ICR mice daily for 14 days and biochemical parameters in liver were investigated. The increase of hepatic lipids peroxide produced by nano-anatase TiO₂ suggested an oxidative attack that was activated by a reduction of antioxidative defense mechanisms as measured by analyzing the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione peroxidase, as well as antioxidant levels such as glutathione and ascorbic acid. The antioxidative responses of liver were reduced in mice by nano-anatase TiO₂. The oxidative stress of nano-anatase TiO₂ on liver was greater than that seen with bulk-TiO₂.

Keywords:

• nano-anatase TiO₂
• mice
• liver
• oxidative damage

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20671067) and by the Medical Development Foundation of Suzhou University (Grant No. EE120701) and by the National New Ideas Foundation of Student (Grant no. 57315427).