Oxidative-damage effect of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles on mouse hepatic and brain cells in vivo

Abstract

To assess the biological safety of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs), the oxidative-damage effect of these NPs was studied. Twenty-five Kunming mice were exposed to Fe₃O₄ NPs by intraperitoneal injection daily for 1 week at doses of 0, 10, 20, and 40 mg·kg^-1. Five Kunming mice were also injected with 40 mg·kg^-1 ordinary Fe₃O₄ particles under the same physiological conditions. Biomarkers of reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the hepatic and brain tissues were detected. Results showed that no significant difference in oxidative damage existed at concentrations lower than 10 mg·kg^-1 for NPs compared with the control group. Fe₃O₄ NP concentration had obvious dose–effect relationships (P<0.05 or P<0.01) with ROS level, GSH content, and MDA content in mouse hepatic and brain tissues at>20 mg·kg^-1 concentrations. To some extent, ordinary Fe₃O₄ particles with 40 mg·kg^-1 concentration also affected hepatic and brain tissues in mice. The biological effect was similar to Fe₃O₄ NPs at 10mg·kg^-1 concentration. Thus, Fe₃O₄ NPs had significant damage effects on the antioxidant defense system in the hepatic and brain tissues of mice, whereas ordinary Fe₃O₄ had less influence than Fe₃O₄ NPs at the same concentration.

Keywords

Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle (NP) / ordinary Fe₃O₄ particle / oxidative damage / reactive oxygen species (ROS) / glutathione (GSH) / malondialdehyde (MDA)

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation (50802032).

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2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg