The Effect of Nanoparticles in Rats During Critical Periods of Pregnancy
Abstract
Materials and Methods. Wistar rats were injected with CdSe/ZnS or CdTe QDs on the 6th, 13th, and 18th days of embryogenesis. Cyclophosphamide was chosen as a positive control of embryotoxicity. On the 21st day, the number of resorptions, weight, length, and external malformations of the embryos were estimated. Fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy analysis were used to determine the accumulation of QDs in the tissues.
Results. Exposure to cyclophosphamide during the pregnancy decreased the embryonic weight and length when compared with the control group and produced numerous malformations. The effects depended on the stage of embryogenesis. Meanwhile, QDs did not cause any embryotoxic or teratogenic effects. However, CdTe QDs induced necrosis in the tissues of the peritoneal cavity. The necrotic tissues contained QDs with altered spectroscopic properties. Spectroscopic and microscopic tissue examination revealed that QDs accumulated in the placenta, but no penetration to the embryonic tissues was observed.
Conclusions. QDs did not cause any direct embryotoxic or teratogenic effects, but they had adverse effects on the maternal organism. The observed QD effects and the long-term accumulation of QDs in the maternal organism may increase the risk of adverse effects on embryo development.
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Žalgevičienė, V.; Kulvietis, V.; Bulotienė, D.; Didžiapetrienė, J.; Rotomskis, R. The Effect of Nanoparticles in Rats During Critical Periods of Pregnancy. Medicina 2012, 48, 37. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina48050037
Žalgevičienė V, Kulvietis V, Bulotienė D, Didžiapetrienė J, Rotomskis R. The Effect of Nanoparticles in Rats During Critical Periods of Pregnancy. Medicina. 2012; 48(5):37. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina48050037
Chicago/Turabian StyleŽalgevičienė, Violeta, Vytautas Kulvietis, Danutė Bulotienė, Janina Didžiapetrienė, and Ričardas Rotomskis. 2012. "The Effect of Nanoparticles in Rats During Critical Periods of Pregnancy" Medicina 48, no. 5: 37. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina48050037