Translocation and effects of gold nanoparticles after inhalation exposure in rats

Liya E. Yu*, Lin Yue Lanry Yung, Choon Nam Ong, Yueh Li Tan, Kumar Suresh Balasubramaniam, Deny Hartono, Guanghou Shui, Markus R. Wenk, Wei Yi Ong

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

122 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study was carried out to test the hypothesis that nanogold particles can accumulate in the olfactory bulb, and translocate from the lung to other organs after inhalation exposure. Gold nanoparticles were aerosolized and introduced through an exposure chamber. The number concentration of airborne nano-sized particles was 2×106 #NSPs/cm3 with >75% of particulates between 30 and 110 nm. Exposure for 5 days resulted in significant increase of Au in the lung and olfactory bulb as detected by ICP-MS, but after 15 days, significant accumulation of gold was detected in the lung, esophagus, tongue, kidney, aorta, spleen, septum, heart and blood. Microarray analysis showed downregulation of many genes related to muscle in the nanogold-exposed lung. Lipidomic analysis of the lung showed a specific decrease in phosphatidylserine 36:1 species. We conclude that nanogold is able to translocate from the lung to other organs with time, and causes significant effects in exposed tissues.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)235-242
Number of pages8
JournalNanotoxicology
Volume1
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Inhalation
  • Kidney
  • Lipidomics
  • Lung
  • Microarray
  • Nanogold
  • Nanomaterials
  • Nanoparticles
  • Phosphatidylserine
  • Smooth muscle

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