Multisystemic damage to mitochondrial ultrastucture as an integral measure of the comparative in vivo cytotoxicity of metallic nanoparticles

Abstract

Vehicles emissions of nanoparticles is a one of the major threat to humans in the modern conditions. Subchronic intoxication was induced in outbred male rats by repeated intraperitoneal injections of lead oxide, zinc oxide and copper oxide nanoparticles separately, or in three binary combinations, or in the full triple combination. Based on electron microscopy results, this paper considers the usefulness, feasibility and informativity of an approach based on a generalized semi-quantitative assessment of toxic damage to mitochondria in various organs using partial or complete destruction of cristae as an index of damage. The adequacy of such assessment is confirmed by its consistency with the previously published data on the relative and combined toxicity of nanoparticles of the above species and high protective efficacy of a complex of bioprotectors estimated by a great number of functional and optical-microscopy morphometric indices. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.