To examine gold nanoparticle reprotoxicity, bovine spermatozoa were challenged with ligand-free or oligonucleotide-conjugated gold nanoparticles synthesized purely without any surfactants by laser ablation. Sperm motility declined at nanoparticle mass dose of 10 µg/ml (corresponding to ∼14 000 nanoparticles per sperm cell) regardless of surface modification. Sperm morphology and viability remained unimpaired at all concentrations. Transmission electron microscopy showed an modification dependant attachment of nanoparticles to the cell membrane of spermatozoa, but provided no evidence for nanoparticle entrance into sperm cells. A molecular examination revealed a reduction of free thiol residues on the cell membrane after nanoparticle exposure, which could explain the decrease in sperm motility. Sperm fertilising ability decreased after exposure to 10 µg/ml of ligand-free nanoparticles indicating that agglomerated ligand-free nanoparticles interfere with membrane properties necessary for fertilisation. In conclusion, nanoparticles may impair key sperm functions solely by interacting with the sperm surface membrane.
SummaryIntended exposure to gold and silver nanoparticles has increased exponentially over the last decade and will continue to rise due to their use in biomedical applications. In particular, reprotoxicological aspects of these particles still need to be addressed so that the potential impacts of this development on human health can be reliably estimated. Therefore, in this study the toxicity of gold and silver nanoparticles on mammalian preimplantation development was assessed by injecting nanoparticles into one blastomere of murine 2 cell-embryos, while the sister blastomere served as an internal control. After treatment, embryos were cultured and embryo development up to the blastocyst stage was assessed. Development rates did not differ between microinjected and control groups (gold nanoparticles: 67.3%, silver nanoparticles: 61.5%, sham: 66.2%, handling control: 79.4%). Real-time PCR analysis of six developmentally important genes (BAX, BCL2L2, TP53, OCT4, NANOG, DNMT3A) did not reveal an influence on gene expression in blastocysts. Contrary to silver nanoparticles, exposure to comparable Ag+-ion concentrations resulted in an immediate arrest of embryo development. In conclusion, the results do not indicate any detrimental effect of colloidal gold or silver nanoparticles on the development of murine embryos.
Zur Ausschöpfung des Potenzials funktionaler Nanomaterialen bedarf es neuartiger Produktionsverfahren, die die Dispersion der Nanopartikel entlang der Prozesskette sicherstellen. Am Beispiel von Medizinprodukten mit antibakteriellem Schutz vor Biofilmbildung auf Basis von Silbernanopartikeln werden die Volumenintegration in Kunststoffe und die Nanopartikelsynthese durch Laserabtrag in Flüssigkeiten vorgestellt. Die antibakterielle Wirksamkeit der Nanokomposite und Verarbeitbarkeit zu Prototypen werden gezeigt.New production technologies are required to benefit of the full potential of nanocomposites by homogeneous dispersion of nanoparticles along the process chain. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquid and their integration into polymers are presented. Antibacterial properties of these materials and processability into prototypes for medical devices with antibacterial protection are demonstrated.
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