article · Biology
Juvenile Nile tilapia exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of silicon dioxide nanoparticles over three weeks experienced widespread toxic effects across organ systems. Tested concentrations of 20, 40, and 100 milligrams per litre caused dose-dependent increases in blood enzymes linked to liver damage, specifically alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase, as well as elevated urea and creatinine levels indicative of kidney dysfunction. Tissue analysis revealed distinct structural abnormalities in the fish gills, kidneys, and hepatopancreas related to particle exposure. At the molecular level, exposure triggered significant upregulation of stress and inflammation genes, including heat shock protein 70 and various interleukins, within the liver and gill tissues. Furthermore, expression of the apoptosis-related gene caspase-3 increased across all tested concentrations, confirming toxic impacts at cellular, tissue, and systemic levels.
Silicon dioxide nanoparticles are increasingly used across manufacturing, raising concerns about aquatic pollution. Demonstrating how these particles damage internal organs and alter gene expression in Nile tilapia, a critical freshwater species, provides foundational ecotoxicological data. This information helps environmental toxicologists understand the physiological risks engineered nanoparticles pose to aquatic ecosystems and farmed fish health.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
The current investigation assessed the impacts of sub-lethal concentrations of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO<sub>2</sub>NPs) on hepato-renal functions, histopathological characteristics, and gene transcription in gills and liver of Nile tilapia juveniles. Fish were exposed to 20, 40, and 100 mg/L of SiO<sub>2</sub>NPs for 3 weeks. Pairwise comparisons with the control group showed a significant dose-dependent elevation in serum ALP, ALT, and AST enzyme activities as well as blood urea and creatinine levels in SiO<sub>2</sub>NP-intoxicated groups. Exposure to 100 mg/L SiO<sub>2</sub>NPs significantly upregulated expression of <i>HSP70</i>, <i>TNF-α</i>, <i>IL-1β</i>, and <i>IL-8</i> genes in the gills as compared to the control group. Moreover, exposure to 100 mg/L SiO<sub>2</sub>NPs significantly upregulated the expression <i>SOD</i>, <i>HSP70</i>, <i>IL-1β</i>, <i>IL-8</i>, and <i>TNF-α</i> genes in the hepatic tissues as compared to the control group. Exposure of fish to 20 mg SiO<sub>2</sub>NPs/L significantly increased the mRNA expression levels of <i>IL-12</i> in both the gills and liver tissues. Notably, all tested SiO<sub>2</sub>NP concentrations significantly upregulated the transcription of <i>CASP3</i> gene in gills and liver of Nile tilapia as compared to the control group. Interestingly, varying histopathological alterations in renal, hepatopancreatic, and branchial tissues were observed to be correlated to the tested SiO<sub>2</sub>NP concentrations. In conclusion, our results provide additional information on the toxic impacts of SiO<sub>2</sub>NPs in Nile tilapia at the hematological, tissue, and molecular levels.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.3390/biology10030183
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
