Titanium nanoparticle inhalation induces renal fibrosis in mice via an oxidative stress upregulated transforming growth factor-β pathway

Chem Res Toxicol. 2015 Mar 16;28(3):354-64. doi: 10.1021/tx500287f. Epub 2014 Dec 2.

Abstract

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (Nano-TiO2) are gradually being used extensively in clinical settings, industry, and daily life. Accumulation studies showed that Nano-TiO2 exposure is able to cause injuries in various animal organs, including the lung, liver, spleen, and kidney. However, it remains unclear whether exposure of Nano-TiO2 by inhalation causes renal fibrosis. Here, we investigated the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species (RNS) related signaling molecules in chronic renal damage after Nano-TiO2 inhalation in mice. Mice were treated with Nano-TiO2 (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/week) or microparticle-TiO2 (0.5 mg/week) by nonsurgical intratracheal instillation for 4 weeks. The results showed that Nano-TiO2 inhalation increased renal pathological changes in a dose-dependent manner. No renal pathological changes were observed in microparticle-TiO2-instilled mice. Nano-TiO2 (0.5 mg/week) possessed the ability to precipitate in the kidneys, determined by transmission electron microscopy and increased serum levels of blood urea nitrogen. The expressions of markers of ROS/RNS and renal fibrosis markers, including nitrotyrosine, inducible nitric oxide synthase, hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), heme oxygenase 1, transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ), and collagen I, determined by immunohistochemical staining were increased in the kidneys. Furthermore, Nano-TiO2-induced renal injury could be mitigated by iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine and ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine treatment in transcription level. The in vitro experiments showed that Nano-TiO2 significantly and dose-dependently increased the ROS production and the expressions of HIF-1α and TGFβ in human renal proximal tubular cells, which could be reversed by N-acetylcysteine treatment. Taken together, these results suggest Nano-TiO2 inhalation might induce renal fibrosis through a ROS/RNS-related HIF-1α-upregulated TGF-β signaling pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Inhalation
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Collagen Type I / metabolism
  • Fibrosis
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Interleukin-1beta / genetics
  • Kidney / drug effects*
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Kidney Diseases / chemically induced
  • Male
  • Metal Nanoparticles / toxicity*
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Titanium / toxicity*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / biosynthesis
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / genetics
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics

Substances

  • Collagen Type I
  • Hif1a protein, mouse
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • titanium dioxide
  • Titanium
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, mouse