Molecular mechanisms underlying zinc oxide nanoparticle induced insulin resistance in mice.

Abstract

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) represent an important class of commercially applied materials. Recently, adverse effects of ZnO NPs were found in humans and animals following ingestion, although the effects on endocrine system disease remain unclear. In this study, ZnO NPs were orally administered to mice, and at doses of 25 mg/kg bw (body weight) ZnO NPs and above, plasma glucose increased significantly. The genome-wide effects of ZnO NPs were then investigated using RNA-sequencing technology. In the cluster analysis, the most significantly enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways concerned membranes and their close association with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Biochemical and gene and protein expression analyses revealed that ZnO NPs activated a xenobiotic biodegradation response and increased the expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in mice livers, leading to ER stress. The ER stress increased ROS generation. The high levels of ROS activated the MAPK and NF-κB pathways and induced an inflammation response, resulting in the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1. Thus, the insulin resistance that developed was the primary mechanism for the increase in the plasma glucose of mice treated orally with ZnO NPs.

• Authors: Hailong Hu, Qian Guo, Xingpei Fan, Xiangjuan Wei, Daqian Yang, Boya Zhang, Jing Liu, Qiong Wu, Yuri Oh, Yujie Feng, Kun Chen, Liping Hou, Ning Gu
• Journal: Nanotoxicology (Nanotoxicology) Vol. 14 Issue 1 Pg. 59-76 (02 2020) ISSN: 1743-5404 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 31519126 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• Zinc Oxide

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Animals
• Blood Glucose (analysis)
• Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress (drug effects, genetics)
• Genome-Wide Association Study
• Humans
• Inflammation
• Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins (metabolism)
• Insulin Resistance (immunology)
• Liver (drug effects, metabolism)
• Mice
• Nanoparticles (chemistry, toxicity)
• Phosphorylation
• Reactive Oxygen Species (metabolism)
• Sequence Analysis, RNA
• Transcriptome (drug effects)
• Zinc Oxide (chemistry, toxicity)