{"title":"Multigenerational exposure to silica nanoparticles causes severe fertility loss in Caenorhabditis elegans","authors":"Malur Thirumalesh Vishnu Sathyan, Aruna Satish","doi":"10.1007/s11051-025-06308-z","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Silica (SiO<sub>2</sub>) nanoparticles (NPs) are the most abundant NPs used in various applications, such as food, drug delivery, and construction. Due to their extensive usage, they are continuously released into the environment in large quantities. In this direction, investigating the impact of repeated exposure to NPs on environmental organisms is crucial. Therefore, to determine the impact of SiO<sub>2</sub> NPs and their multigenerational toxicity, an established model of nano-ecotoxicology, <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> was employed. First, the impact of SiO<sub>2</sub> (0.2–0.3 µm, bulk) and SiO<sub>2</sub> NPs (40 nm) exposure on the vital processes namely survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction were determined. Worms showed a concentration-dependent response to SiO<sub>2</sub> NPs exposure, while no impact on exposure to bulk SiO<sub>2</sub>. The transcription factor (<i>daf- 2</i>) and vitellogenin (<i>vit- 2</i> and <i>vit- 6</i>) expression were downregulated, while oxidative stress and germline apoptosis increased in worms exposed to SiO<sub>2</sub> NPs. At environmentally relevant concentrations of SiO<sub>2</sub> NPs caused a significant impact on the reproductive output of worms. To determine the multigenerational impact on reproduction, worms were exposed for 11 generations and found a decline in progeny count across all the generations screened. When the worms were removed from exposure after 6 generations, it took 5 generations to regain their original vitality. This study indicates that exposure to the SiO<sub>2</sub> NPs has a cumulative impact on the reproductive output across generations. Such a decline in the reproductive output in the long term could eventually disturb the ecological balance. Hence, appropriate measures are necessary to manage the presence of NPs in the environment.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"27 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11051-025-06308-z","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Silica (SiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) are the most abundant NPs used in various applications, such as food, drug delivery, and construction. Due to their extensive usage, they are continuously released into the environment in large quantities. In this direction, investigating the impact of repeated exposure to NPs on environmental organisms is crucial. Therefore, to determine the impact of SiO2 NPs and their multigenerational toxicity, an established model of nano-ecotoxicology, Caenorhabditis elegans was employed. First, the impact of SiO2 (0.2–0.3 µm, bulk) and SiO2 NPs (40 nm) exposure on the vital processes namely survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction were determined. Worms showed a concentration-dependent response to SiO2 NPs exposure, while no impact on exposure to bulk SiO2. The transcription factor (daf- 2) and vitellogenin (vit- 2 and vit- 6) expression were downregulated, while oxidative stress and germline apoptosis increased in worms exposed to SiO2 NPs. At environmentally relevant concentrations of SiO2 NPs caused a significant impact on the reproductive output of worms. To determine the multigenerational impact on reproduction, worms were exposed for 11 generations and found a decline in progeny count across all the generations screened. When the worms were removed from exposure after 6 generations, it took 5 generations to regain their original vitality. This study indicates that exposure to the SiO2 NPs has a cumulative impact on the reproductive output across generations. Such a decline in the reproductive output in the long term could eventually disturb the ecological balance. Hence, appropriate measures are necessary to manage the presence of NPs in the environment.
期刊介绍：
The objective of the Journal of Nanoparticle Research is to disseminate knowledge of the physical, chemical and biological phenomena and processes in structures that have at least one lengthscale ranging from molecular to approximately 100 nm (or submicron in some situations), and exhibit improved and novel properties that are a direct result of their small size.
Nanoparticle research is a key component of nanoscience, nanoengineering and nanotechnology.
The focus of the Journal is on the specific concepts, properties, phenomena, and processes related to particles, tubes, layers, macromolecules, clusters and other finite structures of the nanoscale size range. Synthesis, assembly, transport, reactivity, and stability of such structures are considered. Development of in-situ and ex-situ instrumentation for characterization of nanoparticles and their interfaces should be based on new principles for probing properties and phenomena not well understood at the nanometer scale. Modeling and simulation may include atom-based quantum mechanics; molecular dynamics; single-particle, multi-body and continuum based models; fractals; other methods suitable for modeling particle synthesis, assembling and interaction processes. Realization and application of systems, structures and devices with novel functions obtained via precursor nanoparticles is emphasized. Approaches may include gas-, liquid-, solid-, and vacuum-based processes, size reduction, chemical- and bio-self assembly. Contributions include utilization of nanoparticle systems for enhancing a phenomenon or process and particle assembling into hierarchical structures, as well as formulation and the administration of drugs. Synergistic approaches originating from different disciplines and technologies, and interaction between the research providers and users in this field, are encouraged.
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