Manufactured Nanomaterials (Fullerenes, C60) Induce Oxidative Stress in the Brain of Juvenile Largemouth Bass

By E. Oberdörster. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2004

1,459 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Although nanotechnology has vast potential in uses such as fuel cells, microreactors, drug delivery devices, and personal care products, it is prudent to determine possible toxicity of nanotechnology-derived products before widespread use. It is likely that nanomaterials can affect wildlife if they are accidentally released into the environment. The fullerenes are one type of manufactured nanoparticle that is being produced by tons each year, and initially uncoated fullerenes can be modified with biocompatible coatings. Fullerenes are lipophilic and localize into lipid-rich regions such as cell membranes in vitro, and they are redox active. Other nano-sized particles and soluble metals have been shown to selectively translocate into the brain via the olfactory bulb in mammals and fish. Fullerenes (C60) can form aqueous suspended colloids (nC60); the question arises of whether a redox-active, lipophilic molecule could cause oxidative damage in an aquatic species. The goal of this study was to investigate oxyradical-induced lipid and protein damage, as well as impacts on total glutathione (GSH) levels, in largemouth bass exposed to nC60. Significant lipid peroxidation was found in brains of largemouth bass after 48 hr of exposure to 0.5 ppm uncoated nC60. GSH was also marginally depleted in gills of fish, and nC60 increased water clarity, possibly due to bactericidal activity. This is the first study showing that uncoated fullerenes can cause oxidative damage and depletion of GSH in vivo in an aquatic species. Further research needs to be done to evaluate the potential toxicity of manufactured nanomaterials, especially with respect to translocation into the brain.

Subfields: Developmental Neuroscience, Materials Chemistry, Organic Chemistry

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/78a9dacf0bdd113e6f63f685fa27dd205223638a

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Citations in the corpus

Toxicity and bioavailability of copper nanoparticles to the terrestrial plants mung bean (Phaseolus radiatus) and wheat (Triticum aestivum): Plant agar test for water‐insoluble nanoparticles (2008, neutral): “[7].”
Potential perspectives of bio-nanocomposites for food packaging applications (2007, background): “…generated on how nano-material based processes and products may interfere with human health before any regulation in this field can be established (Borm et al., 2006; Derfus, Chan, & Bhatia, 2004; Hoet, Nemmar, & Nemery, 2004; Oberdörster, 2004; Oberdörster, Oberdörster, & Oberdörster, 2005).”
Principles for characterizing the potential human health effects from exposure to nanomaterials: elements of a screening strategy (2005, background): “This work suggests that neutral nanoparticles and low concentration anionic nanoparticles can serve as carrier molecules providing chemicals direct access to the brain and that cationic nanoparticles have an immediate toxic effect at the blood-brain barrier [55,56].”
Antimicrobial nanomaterials for water disinfection and microbial control: potential applications and implications. (2008, background): “Studies observing nC60 cytotoxicity in eukaryotic systems have attributed the toxicity to ROS production (Oberdorster, 2004; Sayes et al., 2005; Isakovic et al., 2006; Markovic et al., 2007).”
Detection and characterization of engineered nanoparticles in food and the environment (2008, background): “Further toxicity of fullerenes and TiO2 nanoparticles to Daphnia, large mouth bass and other aquatic species has been reported (Oberdorster 2004; Oberdorster et al. 2006; Lovern and Klaper 2006), whereas Yang and Watts (2005) recorded phytotoxicity of alumina nanoparticles (Yang and Watts 2005).”
Occurrence, behavior and effects of nanoparticles in the environment. (2007, neutral): “, 2005, 2006), Daphnia (Lovern and Klaper, 2006) and fish (Oberdörster, 2004; Oberdörster et al., 2006b; Zhu et al., 2006a).”