Study of cytogenetic and cytotoxic effects of nanosilver and silver sulfate in germ cells of mice in vivo

Abstract

The cytogenetic and cytotoxic activities of nanosilver particles and silver sulfate in germ cells in vivo were studied in a model similar to the potential impact on humans for the first time. We investigated nanosilver particles with a diameter of 14 nm coated with gum. The substances were ingested by male CBAB6F1 mice for 14 days with drinking water over a wide range of concentrations: 0.1, 50, and 500 mg/L (0.01, 5, and 50 mg/kg). Silver nanoparticles caused a slight statistically significant increase in the frequency of micronucleated spermatids to 0.57‰. Genomic instability affects the cell kinetics: it resulted in an increase in apoptosis from 3.4% (control) to 6.4% (50 mg/L), and it reduced the level of multinucleated spermatids from 15.6% (control) to 11.1% (50 mg/L). This phenomenon can be seen as a compensatory response aimed at death of genetically damaged cells and the expedited renewal of round spermatids by the disintegration of multinucleated spermatids. The minimally tested concentration of silver sulfate increased apoptotic activity. No other changes in the same mode of action of silver sulfate were observed, indicating a more pronounced effect of silver nanoparticles when compared to its ionic form in the germ cells of mice.