Oxidative stress mediated cytotoxicity of TiO₂ nano anatase in liver and kidney of Wistar rat

Abstract

This study examined the adverse effects of TiO₂ nanoparticle (nano-TiO₂) on the kidney and liver of Wistar rats. Changes of serum biochemical parameters and pathological lesions indicated that liver and kidney were significantly affected in animals treated with 50 mg kg⁻¹ of nano-TiO₂. The inverse relationship between the level of reactive oxygen species and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase indicates that nano-TiO₂ induces oxidative stress. A significant increase in the apoptosis of liver and kidney in a dose-dependent manner was also observed. The ultrastructural observations confirmed the internalization of nano-TiO₂ and their direct involvement in the mitochondria-mediated cytotoxicity. Data indicated that nano-TiO₂ induce oxidative stress which produces genotoxicity such as oxidative DNA damage, micronuclei (MN) induction, and cell apoptosis in liver and kidney.

Keywords:

• oxidative stress
• micronuclei induction
• antioxidative enzymes
• apoptosis

Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful to Advance Instrumentation Research Facility (AIRF), JNU, New Delhi, for Confocal Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, EDXRF instruments.