Original Article

Effect of Bioaccumulation of Gold Nanoparticles on Ovarian Morphology of Female Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Navami Dayal, Dipty Singh, Poonam Patil, Mansee Thakur, Geeta Vanage and D. S. Joshi
World Journal of Pathology 2017, 6:1

Abstract

Introduction

Gold nanoparticle's (Au-NPs) have attracted a lot of attention due to their usage in consumer and therapy based biomedical applications. These particles are frequently the medium sized particles mainly within the range of 10-50nm. A number of scientific reports have addressed the cytotoxic potential of these NPs. However, their geotaxis potential with respect to reproductive aspects remains unclear.

Study design

For assessment of safety and risks associated with Au-NPs to female reproductive system, adult female zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed in vivo to 20μg/g/day of Au-NPs of two different sizes. AuNPs with average diameter of 15 nm and 47 nm were administered orally to female Zebra fish for a period of 28 days.

Methods

Changes in ovarian morphology is assessed at histopathological level followed by the confirmation of bioaccumulation of Au-NPs using Transmission Electron Microscopy. Using comet assay, strand breaks in DNA of ovarian cells are investigated.

Results

The damage due to accumulated Au-NPs in these cells was found to be statistically significant as compared to those of controls.

Conclusions

In conclusion, Au-NPs of size range 10-50nm are capable of gaining access to ovaries of female zebrafish and potential enough to cause strand breaks in ovarian cells. The present study highlights the adverse effects of these NPs to female reproductive system.

Keywords

Histology, bioaccumulation, gold nanoparticles, zebrafish, ovaries

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