Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Small. 2013 May 27;9(9-10):1654-71. doi: 10.1002/smll.201201517. Epub 2013 Feb 11.
Nanomaterials (NMs) are engineered for commercial purposes such as semiconductors, building materials, cosmetics, and drug carriers, while natural nanoparticles (NPs) already exist in the environment. Due to their unique physicochemical properties, they may interact actively with biological systems. Some of these interactions might be detrimental to human health, and therefore studies on the potential 'nanotoxicity' of these materials in different organ systems are warranted. The purpose of developing the concept of nanotoxicity is to recognize and evaluate the hazards and risks of NMs and evaluate safety. This review will summarize and discuss recent reports derived from cell lines or animal models concerning the effects of NMs on, and their application in, the endocrine system of mammalian and other species. It will present an update on current studies of the effects of some typical NMs-such as metal-based NMs, carbon-based NMs, and dendrimers-on endocrine functions, in which some effects are adverse or unwanted and others are favorable or intended. Disruption of endocrine function is associated with adverse health outcomes including reproductive failure, metabolic syndrome, and some types of cancer. Further investigations are therefore required to obtain a thorough understanding of any potential risk of pathological endocrine disruption from products containing NMs. This review aims to provide impetus for further studies on the interactions of NMs with endocrine functions.
纳米材料（NMs）是为商业目的而设计的，如半导体、建筑材料、化妆品和药物载体，而天然纳米颗粒（NPs）已经存在于环境中。由于其独特的物理化学性质，它们可能与生物系统积极相互作用。这些相互作用中的一些可能对人类健康有害，因此有必要研究这些材料在不同器官系统中的潜在“纳米毒性”。开发纳米毒性概念的目的是识别和评估纳米材料的危害和风险，并评估其安全性。本综述将总结和讨论最近关于纳米材料对哺乳动物和其他物种内分泌系统的影响及其在该系统中的应用的细胞系或动物模型的报告。本文将介绍一些典型纳米材料（如金属基纳米材料、碳基纳米材料和树枝状大分子）对内分泌功能影响的最新研究进展，其中一些影响是不利的或不需要的，而另一些是有利的或预期的。内分泌功能紊乱与生殖失败、代谢综合征和某些类型的癌症等不良健康结果有关。因此，需要进一步的研究来充分了解含有纳米材料的产品对病理性内分泌紊乱的任何潜在风险。本综述旨在为进一步研究纳米材料与内分泌功能的相互作用提供动力。
