Hepatic histopathological and ultrastructural alterations induced by 10 nm silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are invested in various sectors and are becoming more persistent in our ambient environment with potential risk on our health and the ecosystems. The current study aims to investigate the histological, histochemical and ultrastructural hepatic changes that might be induced by 10 nm silver nanomaterials. Male mice (BALB/C) were exposed for 35 injections of daily dose of 10 nm Ag NPs (2 mg/kg). Liver tissues were subjected to examination by light and electron microscopy for histological, histochemical and ultrastructural alterations. Exposure to Ag NPs induced Kupffer cells hyperplasia, sinusoidal dilatation, apoptosis, ground glass hepatocytes appearance, nuclear changes, inflammatory cells infiltration, hepatocytes degeneration and necrosis. In addition, 10 nm Ag NPs induced histochemical alterations mainly glycogen depletion with no hemosiderin precipitation. Moreover, these nanomaterials exhibited ultrastructure alterations including mitochondrial swelling and cristolysis, cytoplasmic vacuolation, apoptosis, multilammellar myelin figures formation and endoplasmic destruction and reduction. The findings revealed that Ag NPs can induce alterations in the hepatic tissues, the chemical components of the hepatocytes and in the ultrastructure of the liver. One may also conclude that small size Ag NPs, which are increasingly used in human products could cause various toxigenic responses to all hepatic tissue components.

Cardiac and testicular alterations induced by acute exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles: Histopathological study

“…This alteration may indicate the ability of TiO 2 NPs to interact with the cardiac tissue components. Infiltration of the inflammatory cells may induce oxidative stress generating inflammatory immune‐mediated injury and reactive oxygen species as an immune response [ 28 ].…”

“…Infiltration of the inflammatory cells may induce oxidative stress generating inflammatory immune-mediated injury and reactive oxygen species as an immune response [28].…”

Nano Silver-Induced Toxicity and Associated Mechanisms

“… 75 Given the above findings and to ensure the desired effects of silver nanoparticles, the influence of the size of silver nanoparticles on their toxicity was briefly summarized in Table 3 . 16–18 , 74 , 75 …”

“…To explore the toxicity of nano silver to organs, different animal models are established and employed ( Table 1 ). 16–19 …”

“…Silver nanoparticles may also lead to the destruction of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and partial degranulation, causing severe liver tissue and ultrastructural changes that affect the metabolism and function of the liver and other important organs. 16 …”