Effect of oral administration of commercial gold nanocolloid on peripheral blood leukocytes in mice

Abstract

During the last few decades, owing to their unique properties, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have found numerous biomedical applications. Studies on rodents prove that AuNPs entering an organism easily reach the bloodstream and undergo wide tissue distribution. The presence of nanoparticles inside blood and bone marrow cells of exposed animals may implicate its influence on hematopoesis and the functions of peripheral blood leukocytes.The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oral administration of commercial gold nanocolloid, recommended by the producer as a dietary supplement, on the percentage of lymphocyte populations and proliferative response, as well as the activity of phagocytes in the peripheral blood of mice. The colloid was given to the animals in three different doses (0.25, 2.5, 25 ppm), for three different time periods (7, 14, 28 days). Mice given nanoparticles showed increased activity of phagocytes and some changes in the lymphocyte phenotypes. The elevated activity of granulocytes and monocytes, in terms of both phagocytic and respiratory burst activity, was transient and noticed only after a short time of administration, which may indicate some adaptability of blood phagocytes to prolonged presence of gold nanoparticles in the body. However, phenotypic modifications among lymphocytes in the group of animals given the middle dose of colloid (i.e. increased percentage of B and CD4+CD8+ DP T cells) did not occur until after the 28-day administration, which in turn seems indicative of some immune dysregulation due to the prolonged contact with nanogold.

Immunological properties of gold nanoparticles

“…Further, in vivo GNP effects are dose-dependent. In particular, Małaczewska 59,60 demonstrated that mice, after being orally administered with GNPs, showed an increased activity of phagocytes and some changes in the lymphocyte phenotypes, i.e. , an increased percentage of B and CD4+/CD8+ double positive T cells.…”

Influence of Gold Nanoparticles on the Immune Response to Rift Valley Fever Vaccine and Related Hepatophysiological Toxicity, Histological, and Immunohistochemical Alterations

“…In accordance with our findings, Bastús et al 39 found that AuNPs enhanced the induction of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6 in macrophages. Malaczewska 40 found that mice given AuNPs orally had increased phagocyte activity and some changes in lymphocyte phenotypes, including a higher percentage of B and CD4+/CD8+ double-positive T cells. The lowest dose increased the synthesis of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α, and had a proinflammatory or immune-stimulating effect.…”

The effect of different concentrations of gold nanoparticles on growth performance, toxicopathological and immunological parameters of broiler chickens

“…Malaczewska [58] demonstrated that mice, after being orally administered with GNPs showed increased the phagocytes activity and the percentage of both B and CD4+/CD8+ double-positive T cells. On the other hand, the effect of the highest dose can be considered pro-inflammatory and immunotoxic, because of the stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine as TNF, IL-2 and IL-6 synthesis was accompanied by a drastic decline in the proliferative activity of lymphocytes and extensive pathological lymphocytolysis and lymphocytic depletion in different lymphoid organs [59]. Several recent publications have been reported the dose-dependent GNPs induced changes (both increasing and decreasing) in the number of the immune cells [60,61].…”