Comparison of teratogenecity induced by nano- and micro-sized particles of zinc oxide in cultured mouse embryos

• Published in: Korean journal of veterinary research Vol. 55; no. 2; pp. 133 - 139
• Main Authors: A Young Jung, Ki Youn Jung, Chun Mei Lin, Jung Min Yon, Jong Geol Lee, Beom Jun Lee, Young Won Yun, Sang Yoon Nam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 대한수의학회 2015
• Subjects: 수의학; nano-sized ZnO; teratogenesis; micro-sized ZnO; zinc oxide; whole mount embryo culture
• ISSN: 2466-1384; 2466-1392
• DOI: 10.14405/kjvr.2015.55.2.133

The increasing uses of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) in industrial and personal care products raise possibledanger of using nZnO in human. To determine whether ZnO induces size-dependent anomalies during embryonicorganogenesis, mouse embryos on embryonic day 8.5 were cultured for 2 days under 50, 100, and 150 μg of nZnO(< 100 nm) or micro-sized ZnO (mZnO; 80 ± 25 μm), after which the morphological changes, cumulative quantity ofZn particles, and expressions of antioxidant and apoptotic genes were investigated. Although embryos exposed to 50 μgof ZnO exhibited no defects on organogenesis, embryos exposed to over 100 μg of ZnO showed increasing anomalies. Embryos treated with 150 μg of nZnO revealed significant changes in Zn absorption level and morphological parametersincluding yolk sac diameter, head length, flexion, hindbrain, forebrain, branchial bars, maxillary process, mandibularprocess, forelimb, and total score compared to the same dose of mZnO-treated embryos. Furthermore, CuZn-superoxidedismutase, cytoplasmic glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and phospholipid hydroperoxidase GPx mRNA levels weresignificantly decreased, but caspase-3 mRNA level was greatly increased in nZnO-treated embryos as compared to normalcontrol embryos. These findings indicate that nZnO has severer teratogenic effects than mZnO in developing embryos. The increasing uses of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) in industrial and personal care products raise possibledanger of using nZnO in human. To determine whether ZnO induces size-dependent anomalies during embryonicorganogenesis, mouse embryos on embryonic day 8.5 were cultured for 2 days under 50, 100, and 150 μg of nZnO(< 100 nm) or micro-sized ZnO (mZnO; 80 ± 25 μm), after which the morphological changes, cumulative quantity ofZn particles, and expressions of antioxidant and apoptotic genes were investigated. Although embryos exposed to 50 μgof ZnO exhibited no defects on organogenesis, embryos exposed to over 100 μg of ZnO showed increasing anomalies. Embryos treated with 150 μg of nZnO revealed significant changes in Zn absorption level and morphological parametersincluding yolk sac diameter, head length, flexion, hindbrain, forebrain, branchial bars, maxillary process, mandibularprocess, forelimb, and total score compared to the same dose of mZnO-treated embryos. Furthermore, CuZn-superoxidedismutase, cytoplasmic glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and phospholipid hydroperoxidase GPx mRNA levels weresignificantly decreased, but caspase-3 mRNA level was greatly increased in nZnO-treated embryos as compared to normalcontrol embryos. These findings indicate that nZnO has severer teratogenic effects than mZnO in developing embryos. KCI Citation Count: 0