Toxicity of titanium oxide nanoparticles causes functionality and DNA damage in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) sperm in vitro

Abstract

The present study has examined the effect of different concentrations (1 μg/ml, 10 μg/ml and 100 μg/ml) of titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) (<100 nm) on viability, membrane integrity, capacitation status and DNA integrity of buffalo spermatozoa. Characterization of NPs was done by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test and acridine orange test (AOT) were employed to detect DNA fragmentation in sperm treated with NPs. There was significant (p < 0.05) decrease in cell viability and membrane integrity (assessed by enzyme leakage) at 6 h of incubation with NPs. However, significant (p < 0.05) increase in sperm capacitation was observed for TiO2 NP albeit at lower concentrations. In DNA fragmentation assay, there was dose-dependent increase in the DNA fragmentation (r = 0.96). Ultrathin cross-sections revealed TiO2 NPs inside head and plasma membrane of the buffalo spermatozoa as assessed by TEM. These studies suggest that TiO2 NPs may have cytotoxic effect on buffalo spermatozoa by affecting sperm functionality and causing high amount of DNA fragmentations.

Application of some nanoparticles in the field of veterinary medicine

“…Nanoparticles used in this sector potentiate fertilization efficiency that facilitates fertilization of more females from a single collection. It had some limitation such as; to be developed it needs biomarker library and restrictions of purebred on artificial insemination [155].…”

Perspectives of nanotechnology in male fertility and sperm function

“…It was shown to exert cytotoxic and genetoxic damage in the testicular tissue in rats [75] and increased heat-shock protein 70 expression [76] suggesting high levels of cellular stress that may significantly affect subsequnt embryo development if these spermatozoa are used for fertilization. Titanium oxide was also toxic for buffalo sperm in vitro [77].…”

Comparative evaluation of half-maximum inhibitory concentration and cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes using buffalo bull spermatozoa as a cell model

“…Nanotoxicity in buffalo bull spermatozoa has been reported earlier with titanium oxide (Pawar and Kaul, 2014). Braydich Stolle et al (2005) have demonstrated nanotoxicity with cadmium oxide, Ag NPs, molybdenum and aluminium nanoparticles in the mouse spermatogonial stem cells.…”