Toxicity Evaluation of New Engineered Nanomaterials in Zebrafish.
Maria V Brundo, Roberta Pecoraro, Fabio Marino, Antonio Salvaggio, Daniele Tibullo, Salvatore Saccone, Vincenzo Bramanti, Maria A Buccheri, Giuliana Impellizzeri, Viviana Scuderi, Massimo Zimbone, Vittorio Privitera
Author Information
Maria V Brundo: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
Roberta Pecoraro: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
Fabio Marino: Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata Messina, Italy.
Antonio Salvaggio: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Sicily Catania, Italy.
Daniele Tibullo: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
Salvatore Saccone: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
Vincenzo Bramanti: Department of Biomedical and Biotechnology Sciences, University of Catania Catania, Italy.
Maria A Buccheri: CNR-IMM MATIS Catania, Italy.
Giuliana Impellizzeri: CNR-IMM MATIS Catania, Italy.
The effect of the nanoparticles on the marine organisms, depends on their size, chemical composition, surface structure, solubility and shape. In order to take advantage from their activity, preserving the surrounding environment from a possible pollution, we are trying to trap the nanoparticles into new nanomaterials. The nanomaterials tested were synthesized proposing a ground-breaking approach by an upside-down vision of the Au/TiO2 nano-system to avoid the release of nanoparticles. The system was synthesized by wrapping Au nanoparticles with a thin layer of TiO2. The non-toxicity of the nano-system was established by testing the effect of the material on zebrafish larvae. Danio rerio o zebrafish was considered an excellent model for the environmental biomonitoring of aquatic environments and the Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Test (ZFET) is considered an alternative method of animal test. For this reason zebrafish larvae were exposed to different concentrations of nanoparticles of TiO2 and Au and new nanomaterials. As biomarkers of exposure, we evaluated the expression of metallothioneins by immunohistochemistry analysis and western blotting analysis also. The results obtained by toxicity test showed that neither mortality as well as sublethal effects were induced by the different nanomaterials and nanoparticles tested. Only zebrafish larvae exposed to free Au nanoparticles showed a different response to anti-MT antibody. In fact, the immunolocalization analysis highlighted an increase of the metallothioneins synthesis.
