Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis ›› 2018, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (1): 52-57.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-616x.2018.01.010

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Sub-chronic toxicity of three scales of nano-and micron-zinc oxide in rats

HONG Liling1, ZHANG Tianbao2   

  1. 1. Testing Center of Shanghai Research Institute of Chemical Industry Company Limited, Shanghai 200062;
    2. Deparment of Health Toxicology, Department of Tropical Medicine and Public Health of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
  • Received:2017-08-16 Revised:2017-10-23 Online:2018-01-30 Published:2018-01-30

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To compare the sub-chronic toxicity caused by three scales of nano-zinc oxide and micron-zinc oxide in rats. METHODS: SPF SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups with 8 rats (four females and four males) per group. Once a day for 42 days,rats received intraperitoneal injection of the same dose (10 mg/kg) of different scales nano-ZnO(30 nm,50 nm,100 nm) and micron-ZnO(≤ 1 μm). The negative control group was injected with saline. At the end of the experiment, organ coefficients of the liver,spleen,lung,kidney and testis;haematology and blood biochemical parameters;the sperm abnormality rate of the epididymis were determined. The main organs were used to prepare for pathological sections and HE staining. TUNEL method was used to detect testicular germ cell apoptosis. RESULTS: Compared with the negative control group,there were different degree of changes to the organ coefficients of liver,spleen,kidney and lung in the three scale nano-and micron-ZnO groups. Compared with the micron-ZnO group,the organ coefficients of spleen in 30 nm and 50 nm ZnO groups were all increased,while the organ coefficients of lung in 30,50 and 100 nm groups were decreased (P < 0.05). The number of erythrocytes (RBC),neutrophil ratio (NEUT,%) and platelet count (PLT) in the three scale of nano and micron-ZnO groups were significantly higher than the negative control group,while the lymphocyte ratio was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The number of PLT in the 30 and 50 nm ZnO groups was significantly higher than that in the micron-ZnO group (P < 0.05),but the hemoglobin (HGB) was decreased (P < 0.05). The sperm abnormality rate induced by 30nm and 50nm ZnO group was 1.05% and 0.81%,respectively,and it was statistically significant (P < 0.05) compared with the negative control group(0.24%). The number of spermatogenic cells on the wall of the testis tissue of the three scale of nano-ZnO group was significantly lower than that of the control group. Apoptosis of the spermatogenic cells was observed by TUNEL method,and the apoptosis frequency of the nano-ZnO group was statistically different (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The nano-ZnO caused higher sub-chronic toxicity than micron-ZnO. The target organs of nano-ZnO included the testicle,liver,bone marrow and kidney. With the decrease of particle sizes,the number of affected organs and the degree of damage increased.

Key words: nano-ZnO, micro-ZnO, rat, intraperitoneal injection, sub-chronic toxicity

CLC Number: