Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Modulate Systemic Immune Response and Increase Levels of Reduced Glutathione in Mice after Seven-Week Inhalation
Miroslava Lehotska Mikusova,
Milena Busova,
Jana Tulinska,
Vlasta Masanova,
Aurelia Liskova,
Iveta Uhnakova,
Maria Dusinska,
Zora Krivosikova,
Eva Rollerova,
Radka Alacova,
Ladislava Wsolova,
Mira Horvathova,
Michaela Szabova,
Norbert Lukan,
Zbynek Vecera,
Pavel Coufalik,
Kamil Krumal,
Lukas Alexa,
Vojtech Thon,
Pavel Piler,
Marcela Buchtova,
Lucie Vrlikova,
Pavel Moravec,
Dusan Galanda,
Pavel Mikuska
Affiliations
Miroslava Lehotska Mikusova
Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Milena Busova
Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 121 08 Prague, Czech Republic
Jana Tulinska
Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Vlasta Masanova
Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Aurelia Liskova
Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Iveta Uhnakova
Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Maria Dusinska
Health Effects Laboratory, Norwegian Institute for Air Research, 2007 Kjeller, Norway
Zora Krivosikova
Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Eva Rollerova
Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Radka Alacova
Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Ladislava Wsolova
Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Mira Horvathova
Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Michaela Szabova
Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Norbert Lukan
Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, 833 03 Bratislava, Slovakia
Zbynek Vecera
Department of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Pavel Coufalik
Department of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Kamil Krumal
Department of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Lukas Alexa
Department of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Laboratory of Molecular Morphogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Lucie Vrlikova
Laboratory of Molecular Morphogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Pavel Moravec
Aerosol Chemistry and Physics Research Group, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Dusan Galanda
Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic, Radiation Protection Department, 82645 Bratislava, Slovakia
Pavel Mikuska
Department of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are used in a wide range of applications. Although inhalation of NPs is one of the most important toxicologically relevant routes, experimental studies on potential harmful effects of TiO2 NPs using a whole-body inhalation chamber model are rare. In this study, the profile of lymphocyte markers, functional immunoassays, and antioxidant defense markers were analyzed to evaluate the potential adverse effects of seven-week inhalation exposure to two different concentrations of TiO2 NPs (0.00167 and 0.1308 mg TiO2/m3) in mice. A dose-dependent effect of TiO2 NPs on innate immunity was evident in the form of stimulated phagocytic activity of monocytes in low-dose mice and suppressed secretory function of monocytes (IL-18) in high-dose animals. The effect of TiO2 NPs on adaptive immunity, manifested in the spleen by a decrease in the percentage of T-cells, a reduction in T-helper cells, and a dose-dependent decrease in lymphocyte cytokine production, may indicate immunosuppression in exposed mice. The dose-dependent increase in GSH concentration and GSH/GSSG ratio in whole blood demonstrated stimulated antioxidant defense against oxidative stress induced by TiO2 NP exposure.