Ultrastructural hepatocytic alterations induced by silver nanoparticle toxicity

مقال فى مجلة

2016

Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are widely used in nanomedicine and consuming products with potential risk on human health. While considerable work was carried out on the molecular, biochemical, and physiological alterations induced by these particles, little is known of the ultrastructural pathological alterations that might be induced by nanosilver materials. The aim of the present work is to investigate the hepatocyte ultrastructural alterations that might be induced by SNP exposure. Male rats were subjected toadailysingledose(2mg/kg)ofSNPs(15–35nmdiameter)for21days.Liverbiopsiesfromallratsunder study were processed for transmission electron microscopy examination. The following hepatic ultrastructural alterations were demonstrated: mitochondria swelling and crystolysis, endoplasmic reticulum disruption, cytoplasmic vacuolization, lipid droplets accumulation, glycogen depletion, karyopyknosis, apoptosis,sinusoidaldilatation,Kupffercellsactivation,andmyelinfiguresformation.Thecurrentfindings may indicate that SNPs can induce hepatocyte organelles alteration, leading to cellular damage that may affect the function of the liver. These findings might indicate that SNPs potentially trigger heptocyte ultrastructural alterations that may affect the function of the liver with potential risk on human health in relation to numerous applications of these particles. More work is needed to elucidate probable ultrastructural alterations in the vital organs that might result from nanosilver toxicity.