Epidemiological studies have shown associations between prenatal exposure to lead (Pb) and neurodevelopmental effects in young children. Prenatal exposure is generally characterized by measuring the ...concentration in the umbilical cord at delivery or in the maternal blood during pregnancy. To assess internal Pb exposure during prenatal life, we developed a pregnancy physiologically based pharmacokinetic (p-PBPK) model that to simulates Pb levels in blood and target tissues in the fetus, especially during critical periods for brain development. An existing Pb PBPK model was adapted to pregnant women and fetuses. Using data from literature, both the additional maternal bone remodeling, that causes Pb release into the blood, and the Pb placental transfers were estimated by Bayesian inference. Additional maternal bone remodeling was estimated to start at 21.6 weeks. Placental transfers were estimated between 4.6 and 283 L.day−1 at delivery with high interindividual variability. Once calibrated, the p-PBPK model was used to simulate fetal exposure to Pb. Internal fetal exposure greatly varies over the pregnancy with two peaks of Pb levels in blood and brain at the end of the 1st and 3rd trimesters. Sensitivity analysis shows that the fetal blood lead levels are affected by the maternal burden of bone Pb via maternal bone remodeling and by fetal bone formation at different pregnancy stages. Coupling the p-PBPK model with an effect model such as an adverse outcome pathway could help to predict the effects on children's neurodevelopment.
•A PBPK model for lead was extended to pregnancy and fetal development.•Maternal bone remodeling increases blood lead levels in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.•Ossification in the fetus induces a decrease in the exposure of the other organs.•A high inter-individual variability was estimated for the placental transfer rates.
Metal nanoparticles have been extensively used in industry as well as in biomedical application. In this work, we have evaluated the toxic potential of manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanoparticles (MNPs) ...on human neuronal (SH-SY5Y) cells. Cellular toxicity due to MNPs (0, 10, 30, and 60 μg/ml) on the SH-SY5Y cell was observed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and neutral red uptake (NRU) tests. MNPs produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and declined in mitochondrial membrane potential in the SH-SY5Y cell in dose and duration dependent manner. Moreover, lipid peroxide (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities were increased and glutathione was reduced in dose and time dependent manner. A significant upgrade in Hoechst 33342 fluorescence intensity (chromosome condensation) and phosphatidylserine translocation (apoptotic cell) was visualized in cells treated with MNPs for 48 h. On the other hand, caspase-3 activity was increased due to MNPs in SH-SY5Y cells. DNA strand breaks were determined by alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis assay (Comet Assay) and maximum fragmentation of DNA produced due to MNPs (60 μg/ml) for 48 hours. This result provides a basic mechanism of induction of apoptosis and toxicity by MNPs in SH-SY5Y cells.
Alumina nanoparticles (Al2O3NPs) are gradually used in various areas, including nanomedicine, biosensors, and electronics. The current study aimed to explore the DNA damage and cytotoxicity due to ...Al2O3NPs on human hepatocarcinoma cells (HepG2). The MTT and neutral red uptake assays showed that Al2O3NPs induce significant cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner. However, Al2O3NPs induced significant intracellular reactive oxygen species production and elevated lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase levels in the HepG2 cells. Al2O3NPs also induced significant decrease in reduced glutathione levels and increase caspase-3 activity in HepG2 cells. DNA fragmentation analysis using the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis showed that Al2O3NPs cause genotoxicity in dose- and time-dependent manner. However, they induce reactive oxygen species production and oxidative stress, leading to oxidative DNA damage, a probable mechanism of genotoxicity. This study warrants more careful assessment of Al2O3NPs before their industrial application.
It has become crucial to biosynthesize efficient, secure, and affordable nanoparticles that we use for the treatment of various infections, including surgical site infection and wound infection, due ...to the rapid development of microbial resistance to numerous antibiotic drugs. The objective of the present study is to biosynthesize cobalt nanoparticles using an extract from the combined peels of garlic (Allium sativum) and onion (Allium cepa). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction were used to confirm the synthesis of cobalt nanoparticle (XRD). Well diffusion was used to measure antimicrobial activity. Escherichia coli, Proteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus cohnii, and Klebsiella pneumonia were the bacterial strains employed Both the crude prepared extract and the biosynthesized cobalt nanoparticles demonstrated efficacy against all strains of bacteria, but the crude prepared extract displayed a low zone of inhibition ranging from 10 to 13 mm, while the biosynthesized cobalt nanoparticles displayed a high zone of inhibition ranging from 20 to 24 mm.
Microcystin- (MC-) LR is the most frequent cyanotoxin produced by Microcystis aeruginosa cyanobacteria in the contaminated freshwater environment. MC represents a health hazard to humans and animals. ...Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the potential ameliorative effect of thymoquinone (TQ) and/or piperine (PP) against MC toxicity in mice. Fifty-six mice were randomly divided into seven experimental groups. Group I is the normal control that received distilled water for 21 days; Group II (TQ) was treated with TQ (10 mg/kg, i.p) for 21 days; Group III (PP) was treated with PP (25 mg/kg, i.p) for 21 days; Group IV (MC) was treated with MC (10 μg/kg, i.p) for 14 days and served as the toxic control; and Groups V, VI, and VII received TQ and/or PP 7 days prior to MC and continued for 14 days with MC. The results revealed that MC elicited hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity which was evident due to the significant elevation of serum AST, ALT, γGT, ALP, LDH, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels. Furthermore, MC markedly increased MDA and NO contents along with reduction of GSH, SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px in liver and brain tissues. The electron transport chain may be a possible target for MC. TQ and/or PP ameliorated the MC-mediated oxidative damage in the liver and brain which might be attributed to their antioxidant properties. However, the concurrent treatment of TQ and PP showed the best regimen as a result of the PP-enhanced bioavailability of TQ.
Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) attract much attention due to their excellent biocompatibility and catalytic properties, but their toxic effects on normal (CHANG) and cancerous (HuH‐7) human liver ...cells are meagre. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of PtNPs (average size, 3 nm) were determined in CHANG and HuH‐7 cells. After treating these cells were with PtNPs (10, 50, 100, 200, and 300 μg/mL) for 24 and 48 hours, we observed dose‐ and time‐dependent cytotoxicity, as evaluated by using (3‐4, 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl‐2, 5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a tetrazole) (MTT) and neutral red uptake (NRU) assays. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was increased in both cells after treatment with the above dose of PtNPs for 24 and 48 hours. Determination of morphological changes of cells, chromosome condensation, mitochondrial membrane potential, and caspase‐3 assays showed that PtNPs induce cytotoxicity and apoptosis in CHANG and HuH‐7 cells by altering the cell morphology and density, increasing cell population in apoptosis, and causing chromosome condensation. Furthermore, we have studied fragmentation of DNA using alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis and expression of apoptotic genes by real‐time PCR (RT‐PCR). The percentage of DNA fragmentation was more at 300 μg/mL for 48 hours in both cells, but slightly more fragmentation was found in HuH‐7 relative to CHANG cells. Considering all of the above parameters, PtNPs elicited cytotoxicity on CHANG and HuH‐7 cells by blocking cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Thus this study may be useful in in vitro laboratory studies using cell lines for screening the genotoxic and apoptotic potential of nanoparticles.
Nanoparticles have gained huge attention in the last decade due to their applications in electronics, medicine, and environmental clean-up. Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are widely used for the ...wastewater treatment due to their recyclable nature and easy manipulation by an external magnetic field. Here, in the present research work, iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by the sonochemical method by using precursors of ferrous sulfate and ferric chloride at 70 °C for one hour in an ultrasonicator. The synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles were characterized by diffraction light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), electron diffraction spectroscopy (EDS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The FTIR analysis exhibits characteristic absorption bands of IONPs at 400-800 cm
, while the Raman spectra showed three characteristic bands at 273, 675, and 1379 cm
for the synthesized IONPs. The XRD data revealed three major intensity peaks at two theta, 33°, 35°, and 64° which indicated the presence of maghemite and magnetite phase. The size of the spherical shaped IONPs was varying from 9-70 nm with an average size of 38.9 nm while the size of cuboidal shaped particle size was in microns. The purity of the synthesized IONPs was confirmed by the EDS attached to the FESEM, which clearly show sharp peaks for Fe and O, while the magnetic behavior of the IONPs was confirmed by the VSM measurement and the magnetization was 2.43 emu/g. The batch adsorption study of lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) from 20% fly ash aqueous solutions was carried out by using 0.6 mg/100 mL IONPs, which exhibited maximum removal efficiency i.e., 97.96% and 82.8% for Pb
and Cr ions, respectively. The fly ash are being used in making cements, tiles, bricks, bio fertilizers etc., where the presence of fly ash is undesired property which has to be either removed or will be brought up to the value of acceptable level in the fly ash. Therefore, the synthesized IONPs, can be applied in the elimination of heavy metals and other undesired elements from fly ash with a short period of time. Moreover, the IONPs that have been used as a nanoadsorbent can be recovered from the reaction mixture by applying an external magnetic field that can be recycled and reused. Therefore, this study can be effective in all the fly ash-based industries for elimination of the undesired elements, while recyclability and reusable nature of IONPs will make the whole adsorption or elimination process much economical.
Citrus sinensis peels activated carbon synthesis was done by means of sulfuric acid activation. Activated carbon was analysed by SEM, XRD, UV-Vis and FT-IR. Two concentrations of pesticides; ...Thiencarbazone-methyl, Isopyrazam and Zoxamide were separated from ten agricultural and contaminated soils. Removal potential was evaluated for a time span of 3 and 6 hours. Maximum elimination was detected in soil S5 (65% and 92% for 5 mg/L and 7.5 mg/L, respectively) for Thiencarbazone-methyl, 89% and 96% for Isopyrazam and 84% and 88% for Zoxamide. Results of the current work supports the efficient removal achieved with the prepared activated carbon.
The current study examined the efficacy of royal jelly (RJ) against cadmium chloride (CdCl₂)-induced testicular dysfunction. A total of 28 Swiss male mice were allocated into four groups (n = 7), and ...are listed as follows: (1) the control group, who was intraperitoneally injected with physiological saline (0.9% NaCl) for 7 days; (2) the RJ group, who was orally supplemented with RJ (85 mg/kg daily equivalent to 250 mg crude RJ) for 7 days; (3) the CdCl₂ group, who was intraperitoneally injected with 6.5 mg/kg for 7 days; and (4) the fourth group, who was supplemented with RJ 1 h before CdCl₂ injection for 7 days. Cd-intoxicated mice exhibited a decrease in serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. A disturbance in the redox status in the testicular tissue was recorded, as presented by the increase in lipid peroxidation and nitrate/nitrite levels and glutathione (GSH) depletion. Moreover, the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like-2 factor (Nrf2) and their gene expression were inhibited. In addition, interleukin-1ß (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were elevated. Furthermore, Cd triggered an apoptotic cascade via upregulation of caspase-3 and Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2. Histopathological examination showed degenerative changes in spermatogenic cells, detachment of the spermatogenic epithelium from the basement membrane, and vacuolated seminiferous tubules. Decreased cell proliferation was reflected by a decrease in proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression. Interestingly, RJ supplementation markedly minimized the biochemical and molecular histopathological changes in testes tissue in response to Cd exposure. The beneficial effects of RJ could be attributed to its antioxidative properties.
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