EFFECTS OF ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES ON THE HEPATIC TISSUE OF CHICKEN EMBRYO: A HISTOPATHOLOGICAL APPRAOCH 1 1 P. PARDESHI, A. B. NAWALE , V. L. MATHE , Y. K. LAHIR AND P M DONGRE* Department of Biophysics, University of Mumbai, Santa Cruz (E),Mumbai, India-400 098 1 Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune, India-411007 *Corresponding author Received on : 19.12.2013 and Accepted Revised on : 24.06.2014 Bionano Frontier, Vol.(2) July to December 2014, 176-180 BIONANO FRONTIER Vol.7(2) July - December 2014 176 Print ISSN 0974-0678, Online : 2320-9593, www.bionanofrontier.org ABSTRACT : In the recent years, nanoparticles are being extensively studied due to their unique physico-chemical properties of large surface to volume ratio. Hence, they are considered to be promising material in biology and medicine. This study reports on the effects of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on hepatic tissue of chick embryo using histopathological techniques. The ZnO NPs were synthesized thermal plasma reactor by gas phase homogeneous condensation process and characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction method. The average size of the ZnO NPs was found to be 25 nm. The histochemical study of hepatic tissues at the doses of ZnO NPs (50 and 150µg/g egg weight) showed the concentration dependant disorganization, loss of cellular integrity and physical nature of the tissues. The observations indicate the hepatotoxic nature of ZnO NPs in present model studied. The possible interference of ZnO NPs with hepatic tissue has been explored. Keywords: ZnO nanoparticles, hepatocytes, hepatotoxic, histopathology, chicken embryo, INTRODUCTION : Nanomaterials have extended their tentacles in every sphere of life due to their unique physicochemical properties such as surface to volume ratio, optoelectronics and sensing etc. Therefore, they are considered to be important in biological and medical sciences. Currently nanoparticles (NPs) are being investigated as a therapeutic, sensing and diagnostic agents. Gold NPs have been studied for cancer therapy (Jain et al 2012); silver NPs being studied as antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial agents (Kim et al 2007, Dongre et al., 2010), quantum dots for imaging and sensing purposes (Shan et al 2011). ZnO has been listed as GRAS i. e. Generally recognized as safe, by US FDA (21CFR 182.8991) as additive and is used in food packaging. Biological material like proteins adsorb on the nanoparticles under physiological environment. The loss of structure and proteins was reported due to adsorption on nanoparticles. Recently, 'nanoparticles – protein corona' have been introduced because of the fact that it is the protein which associates with nanoparticle in biological fluid; this as a matter of fact a biological relevant entity that interacts with cellular system. It is reported that “protein corona” controls the cellular reaction/signals, (Martin et al 2008). Churchman et al (2013) have shown that serum albumin enhances the membrane activity of ZnO NPs. The interaction of NPs and cellular structures results in disruption in cell signalling, intracellular communication and loss of innate cellular response, (Schrand et al 2008). Several studies have been reported on cellular uptake of nanoparticles via various pathways and mechanisms. It has been seen that neutral charged nanoparticles do not interact with cellular system; however, charged nanoparticles either positive or negative actively participate in cellular reactions or internalization. Cho et al (2009) have studies the relation between the surface charge and uptake of gold nanoparticles; in this study it is shown that negatively charged nanoparticles adsorb much less on cell membrane surface consequently lower internalization. Uptake of iron oxide nanoparticles in human carcinoma cells has been studied by Villanueva et al (2009). Further, uptake or internalization of nanoparticles also depends upon the type of coating on the nanoparticles. Iron oxide nanoparticles stabilized by rd carboxyl-functionalized 3 generation polyamidoamine) PAMAM) dendrimers have shown taken in to human epithelial carcinoma cells either by pinocytosis or direct diffusion through the cell membrane, (Yi Yun 2012). The cytotoxicity due to supra magnetic nanoparticles have been reported by Kivilcin (2009). Amand et al (2010) have affirmed that the nanomaterials interact with proteins, enzymes within organism and are potent to interfere with the antioxidant mechanism leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species. These also can initiate and generate inflammatory response; these are also known to cause perturbation and destruction of mitochondria resulting in apoptosis or necrosis. Silver NPs had induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in the liver of zebra fish (Choi et al 2010); ZnO NPs caused hepatic atrophy in rat (Lijuan et al 2010). Babadi et al (2012) have evaluated the derogative effects of iron oxide nanoparticles on tissue and enzymes of liver in case of rat. TiO nanoparticles 2 have induced histological and apoptotic alterations in the liver of rat (Alarifi et al 2013). Monir and Setorki (2014) observed derogative effects due to acute dose of Ag nanoparticles in rat. ZnO NPs are toxic at sub-acute and sub-chronic doses (Andrea et al 2014). However, the course of these applications and little report of impact or action of nanomaterial are on various biological systems, it is further needed to evaluate the nano safety or biocompatibility in vivo system. In the present study we selected a chicken embryo model for understanding the mode of interaction of ZnO NPs on hepatic tissue. The chicken embryo is simple, easy to maintain and operate in experimental laboratory.