Khan Saba Khursheed, Dutta Joydeep, Rather Mohd Ashraf, Ahmad Ishtiyaq, Nazir Junaid, Khan Irfan Ahmad, Wani Gohar Bilal
Department of Zoology, School of Bioengineering & Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India.
Division of Fish Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Fisheries Ganderbal, SKUAST-Kashmir, Srinagar, India.
Toxicol Mech Methods. 2025 May;35(4):382-397. doi: 10.1080/15376516.2024.2441952. Epub 2024 Dec 19.
Metallic nanoparticles, with their large surface area to volume ratio, are increasingly important in various life fields, but they can cause varying toxic effects on fish. This study investigates the toxicological effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on rainbow trout (), focusing on hematological, biochemical, antioxidant, and histopathological changes. Fish were exposed to varying concentrations of AgNPs (0.2, 0.8, and 1.4 mg/L) for 21 days. Hematological analysis revealed significant reductions in red blood cell (RBC) counts, hemoglobin (Hb), and hematocrit (HCT) at higher AgNPs concentrations, while white blood cell (WBC) counts increased, indicating immune system activation. Biochemical assays demonstrated dose-dependent decreases in total protein and albumin, alongside increased cholesterol and triglyceride levels, suggesting impaired liver function and disrupted lipid metabolism. Antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, CAT, GST) initially increased at lower AgNPs concentrations but declined at higher exposures, indicating oxidative stress. Molecular analysis further supported these findings, with upregulation of oxidative stress-related genes (SOD1, CAT) and inflammatory markers (HSP70, IL-1β). Histopathological examinations revealed necrosis, hyperplasia, and lamellar fusion in the gills, along with significant liver damage, including vacuolation and Kupffer cell proliferation, particularly at the highest exposure. Behavioral assays showed erratic swimming and reduced feeding in fish exposed to higher AgNPs concentrations. This study highlights the dose-dependent toxic effects of AgNPs on rainbow trout and underscores the potential for long-term, possibly irreversible damage at higher exposure levels. These findings emphasize the need for stricter environmental regulations on nanoparticle use to mitigate their ecological impact.
金属纳米颗粒因其大的表面积与体积比，在各个生命领域中变得越来越重要，但它们会对鱼类产生不同的毒性作用。本研究调查了银纳米颗粒（AgNPs）对虹鳟鱼的毒理学影响，重点关注血液学、生化、抗氧化和组织病理学变化。将鱼暴露于不同浓度的AgNPs（0.2、0.8和1.4毫克/升）中21天。血液学分析显示，在较高的AgNPs浓度下，红细胞（RBC）计数、血红蛋白（Hb）和血细胞比容（HCT）显著降低，而白细胞（WBC）计数增加，表明免疫系统被激活。生化分析表明，总蛋白和白蛋白呈剂量依赖性降低，同时胆固醇和甘油三酯水平升高，提示肝功能受损和脂质代谢紊乱。抗氧化酶活性（SOD、CAT、GST）在较低的AgNPs浓度下最初增加，但在较高暴露水平下下降，表明存在氧化应激。分子分析进一步支持了这些发现，氧化应激相关基因（SOD1、CAT）和炎症标志物（HSP70、IL-1β）上调。组织病理学检查显示鳃出现坏死、增生和板层融合，同时肝脏有明显损伤，包括空泡化和库普弗细胞增殖，尤其是在最高暴露水平时。行为分析表明，暴露于较高AgNPs浓度的鱼会出现游泳行为异常和摄食减少。本研究突出了AgNPs对虹鳟鱼的剂量依赖性毒性作用，并强调了在较高暴露水平下可能造成长期、甚至不可逆损害的可能性。这些发现强调需要对纳米颗粒的使用制定更严格的环境法规，以减轻其生态影响。
