Immunomodulatory and antioxidant effect of green synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles on pregnant female albino rats and their fetuses.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO NPs) are one of the various nanoparticles that have been increasingly commonly used in vital sectors. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of prenatal exposure to the chemical TiO NPs (CHTiO NPs) and green-synthesized TiO NPs (GTiO NPs) on immunological and oxidative status as well as lungs and spleen. Fifty pregnant female albino rats were divided into five groups of ten rats each: control, CHTiO NPs-treated groups orally received 100 and 300 mg/kg CHTiO NPs, and GTiO NPs-treated groups received 100 and 300 mg/kg GTiO NPs, respectively, daily for 14 days. The serum level of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, oxidative stress markers (MDA and NO), and antioxidant biomarkers (SOD and GSH-PX) were assayed. Spleen and lungs were collected from pregnant rats and fetuses for histopathological examinations. The results showed a significant increase in IL-6 levels in treated groups. In the CHTiO NPs-treated groups, there was a significant increase in MDA activity and a significant decrease in GSH-Px and SOD activities, revealing its oxidative effect, while GSH-Px and SOD activities significantly increased in the 300 GTiO NPs-treated group, confirming the antioxidant effect of green-synthesized TiO NPs. Histopathological findings of the spleen and lungs of the CHTiO NPs-treated group revealed severe congestion and thickening of the blood vessels, while those of the GTiO NPs-treated group revealed mild tissue alterations. It could be deduced that green synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles have immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects on pregnant female albino rats and their fetuses, with an ameliorated impact on the spleen and lung compared to chemical titanium dioxide nanoparticles.