Silver nanoparticles stimulate glycogenolysis in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hepatocytes.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are found in many consumer products yet their biological effects on non-target aquatic organisms are yet to be fully understood. This research aimed to investigate the effects of AgNPs on cell signaling in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hepatocytes. We focused on the β-adrenoreceptor (AR), which mediates glycogenolysis, and the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR), which mediates gluconeogenesis. These two receptors have been extensively studied in trout hepatocytes due to their key roles during the stress response to increase glucose availability (among other things), allowing the organisms to cope with the stressor. We show for the first time that AgNPs at a concentration of 1 μg/mL did not interfere with the function of either the β-AR or the GCR systems in rainbow trout hepatocytes, but at the concentration of 10 μg/mL AgNPs stimulated glycogenolysis which was apparently receptor-independent. This study suggests that AgNPs could affect hormone-regulated cell signaling pathways at a concentration of 10 μg/mL.