Toxicological Research

Korean Society of Toxicology & Korea Environmental Mutagen Society (한국독성학회)
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Assessment of reproductive toxicity of gold nanoparticles and its reversibility in male albino rats

  • Nancy A. Abdulhaq (Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University) ;
  • Dina A. Elnady (Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University) ;
  • Hend M. Abo El‑atta (Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University) ;
  • Doaa A. El‑Morsi (Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University) ;
  • Seham A. Gad El‑Hak (Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University)
  • Received : 2022.11.05
  • Accepted : 2023.07.21
  • Published : 2024.01.15
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Abstract

Nanotechnology has become a trending area in science all over the world. Although gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been utilized widely in biomedical fields, potential toxicities may arise from their interactions with biological systems. The current study aimed at evaluating the toxic effects of AuNPs on the reproductive system of adult male albino rats and assessing the recovery probability. In this study, AuNPs (13±4 nm in diameter) were synthesized, and the experimental work was conducted on 60 adult male albino rats divided into the following groups: control group (received deionized water daily intraperitoneally (IP) for 28 days), test group, and withdrawal groups I and II (received 570 ㎍/kg of 13±4 nm AuNPs daily IP for 28 days). Withdrawal groups I and II were left for another 30 and 60 days without sacrification, respectively. The test group showed significant decreases in final body and absolute testicular weights, testosterone hormone level, sperm count and motility, and spermatogenesis score, as well as significant increase in the percentage of sperms of abnormal morphology compared to the control group, associated with significant light and electron microscopic histopathological changes. Partial improvement of all studied reproductive parameters was detected after one month of withdrawal in withdrawal group I, and significant improvement and reversibility of all these parameters were reported after two months of withdrawal in withdrawal group II. So, AuNPs induce male reproductive toxicity, which partially improves after one month of withdrawal and significantly improves and reverses after two months of withdrawal.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors owe deepest gratitude and appreciation to Prof. Dr. Fikri Mohamed Hassan Reicha, Professor of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, may God have mercy on him, for his great help and guidance in gold nanoparticles preparation.

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