Exposure to TiO2 Nanoparticles Induces Immunological Dysfunction in Mouse Testitis

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• 作者：Fashui Hong ; Yajing Wang ; Yingjun Zhou ; Qi Zhang ; Yushuang Ge ; Ming Chen ; Jie Hong ; Ling Wang
• 刊名：Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：January 13, 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：64
• 期：1
• 页码：346-355
• 全文大小：554K
• ISSN：1520-5118

文摘

Although TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) as endocrine disruptors have been demonstrated to be able to cross the blood–testis barriers and induce reproductive toxicity in male animals, whether the reproductive toxicity of male animals due to exposure to endocrine disruptor TiO₂ NPs is related to immunological dysfunction in the testis remains not well understood. This study determined whether the reproductive toxicity and immunological dysfunction induced by exposure to TiO₂ NPs is associated with activation or inhibition of TAM/TLR-mediated signal pathway in mouse testis. The results showed that male mice exhibited significant reduction of fertility, infiltration of inflammatory cells, rarefaction, apoptosis, and/or necrosis of spermatogenic cells and Sertoli cells due to TiO₂ NPs. Furthermore, these were associated with decreased expression of Tyro3 (?18.16 to ?66.6%), Axl (?14.7 to ?57.99%), Mer (?7.98 to ?72.62%), and IκB (?11.25 to ?63.16%), suppression of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1 (?21.99 to ?73.8%) and SOCS3 (?8.11 to ?34.86%), and increased expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-3 (21.4–156.03%), TLR-4 (37.0–109.87%), nuclear factor-κB (14.75–69.34%), interleukin (IL)-lβ (46.15–123.08%), IL-6 (2.54–81.98%), tumor necrosis factor-α (6.95–88.39%), interferon (IFN)-α (2.54–37.25%), and IFN-β (10.19–80.56%), which are involved in the immune environment in the testis. The findings showed that reproductive toxicity of male mice induced by exposure to endocrine disruptor TiO₂ NPs may be associated with biomarkers of impairment of immune environment or dysfunction of TAM/TLR3-mediated signal pathway in mouse testitis. Therefore, the potential risks to reproductive health should be attended, especially in those who are occupationally exposed to TiO₂ NPs.