A metabolomic-based study on disturbance of bile acids metabolism induced by intratracheal instillation of nickel oxide nanoparticles in rats

Navigating nanotoxicity: Unraveling nanomaterial-induced effects via multi-omics integration

The growing use of nanomaterials in industry and medicine raises significant concerns about their safety, particularly regarding their interactions with biological systems. Traditional toxicological methods, with limited throughput and mechanistic understanding, are increasingly being complemented by omics technologies. Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics provide comprehensive insights into the molecular mechanisms of nanomaterial toxicity and enable the identification of potential biomarkers. In addition, single-cell and spatial omics approaches are emerging as powerful tools to assess toxicity at the cellular and tissue levels, revealing heterogeneous responses and spatial distribution of nanomaterials. Despite their advantages, omics technologies face challenges in nanotoxicology, including large, complex data sets, integration difficulties, and a lack of standardized protocols. To address these challenges, we propose the development of new bioinformatics tools, multi-omics integration platforms, and standardized analysis processes to enhance research efficiency and accuracy. These efforts can provide a practical roadmap for integrating the application of omics technologies, including single-cell and spatial approaches, in the study of nanomaterial toxicity studies.

Hsa_circ_0001944 Regulates FXR/TLR4 Pathway and Ferroptosis to Alleviate Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles-Induced Collagen Formation in LX-2 Cells

Nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) can induce liver fibrosis, and their mechanism may be related to non-coding RNA, nuclear receptor signal transduction and ferroptosis, but the regulatory relationship between them is not clear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of hsa_circ_0001944 in regulating the Farnesol X receptor (FXR)/Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway and ferroptosis in NiONPs-induced collagen deposition. We observed decreased FXR expression, increased TLR4 expression and alterations in ferroptosis features in both the rat liver fibrosis and the LX-2 cell collagen deposition model. To investigate the regulatory relationship among FXR, TLR4 and ferroptosis, we treated LX-2 cells with FXR agonist (GW4064), TLR4 inhibitor (TAK-242) and ferroptosis agonist (Erastin) combined with NiONPs. The results showed that TAK-242 alleviated collagen deposition by increasing ferroptosis features. Furthermore, GW4064 reduced the expression of TLR4, increased the ferroptosis features and alleviated collagen deposition. The results indicated that FXR inhibited the expression of TLR4 and enhanced the ferroptosis features, which were involved in the process of collagen deposition in LX-2 cells induced by NiONPs. Subsequently, we predicted that hsa_circ_0001944 might regulate FXR through bioinformatics analysis, and found NiONPs reduced the expression of hsa_circ_0001944 in LX-2 cells. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0001944 increased FXR level, reduced TLR4 level, increased the ferroptosis features and alleviated collagen deposition in LX-2 cells. In summary, we demonstrated that hsa_circ_0001944 regulates the FXR/TLR4 pathway and ferroptosis alleviate collagen formation induced by NiONPs.

Nickel-based nanomaterials: a comprehensive analysis of risk assessment, toxicity mechanisms, and future strategies for health risk prevention

Nickel-based nanomaterials (NBNs) have seen a surge in usage across a variety of applications. However, the widespread use of NBNs has led to increased human exposure, raising questions about their associated health risks, both in the short and long term. Additionally, the spread of NBNs in the environment has attracted considerable attention, emerging as a vital focus for research and development. This review aims to provide an in-depth assessment of the current understanding of NBNs toxicity, the mechanisms underlying their toxicological effects, and the strategies for mitigating associated health risks. We begin by examining the physicochemical properties of NBNs, such as particle size, composition and surface functionalization, which are key determinants of their biological interactions and toxicity. Then, through an extensive analysis of in vitro and in vivo studies, we highlight the adverse effects of NBNs exposure, including the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress, inflammation, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and immunotoxicity. To address the potential health risks associated with NBNs, we propose future strategies for risk prevention, including the development of safer nanomaterial designs, implementation of stringent regulatory guidelines, and advancement of novel toxicity testing approaches.

The pulmonary effects of nickel-containing nanoparticles: Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and their underlying mechanisms

With the exponential growth of the nanotechnology field, the global nanotechnology market is on an upward track with fast-growing jobs. Nickel (Ni)-containing nanoparticles (NPs), an important class of transition metal nanoparticles, have been extensively used in industrial and biomedical fields due to their unique nanostructural, physical, and chemical properties. Millions of people have been/are going to be exposed to Ni-containing NPs in occupational and non-occupational settings. Therefore, there are increasing concerns over the hazardous effects of Ni-containing NPs on health and the environment. The respiratory tract is a major portal of entry for Ni-containing NPs; thus, the adverse effects of Ni-containing NPs on the respiratory system, especially the lungs, have been a focus of scientific study. This review summarized previous studies, published before December 1, 2023, on cytotoxic, genotoxic, and carcinogenic effects of Ni-containing NPs on humans, lung cells in vitro, and rodent lungs in vivo, and the potential underlying mechanisms were also included. In addition, whether these adverse effects were induced by NPs themselves or Ni ions released from the NPs was also discussed. The extra-pulmonary effects of Ni-containing NPs were briefly mentioned. This review will provide us with a comprehensive view of the pulmonary effects of Ni-containing NPs and their underlying mechanisms, which will shed light on our future studies, including the urgency and necessity to produce engineering Ni-containing NPs with controlled and reduced toxicity, and also provide the scientific basis for developing nanoparticle exposure limits and policies.

Intestinal microbiota promoted NiONPs-induced liver fibrosis via effecting serum metabolism

Nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) are toxic heavy metal compounds that induce liver fibrosis and metabolic disorders. Current research shows that the intestinal microbiota regulates liver metabolism through the gut-liver axis. However, it is unclear whether NiONPs affect the intestinal microbiota and the relationship between microbiota and liver metabolic disorders. Therefore, in this study, we established liver fibrosis model by administering 0.015, 0.06 and 0.24 mg/mL NiONPs through tracheal instillation twice a week for 9 weeks in rats, then we collected serum and fecal sample for whole metabolomics and metagenomic sequencing. As the result of sequencing, we screened out seven metabolites (beta-D-glucuronide, methylmalonic acid, linoleic acid, phosphotidylcholine, lysophosphatidylinositol, docosapentaenoic acid and progesterone) that related to functional alterations (p < 0.05), and obtained a decrease of probiotics abundances (p < 0.05) as well as a variation of the microbiota enzyme activity (p < 0.05), indicating that NiONPs inhibited the proliferation of probiotics. As the result of correlation analysis, we found a positive correlation between differential metabolites and probiotics, such as lysophosphatidylinositol was positively correlated with Desulfuribacillus, Jeotgallibacillus and Rummeliibacillus (p < 0.05). We also found that differential metabolites had correlations with differential proteins and enzymes of intestinal microbiota, such as glucarate dehydratase, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p < 0.05). Finally, we screened six metabolic pathways with both differential intestinal microbiota enzymes and metabolites were involved, such as pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and linoleic acid metabolism. In vitro experiments showed that NiONPs increased the transcriptional expression of Col1A1 in LX-2 cells, while reducing the mRNA expression of serine/threonine activators, acetyl coenzyme carboxylase, and lysophosphatidylinositol synthase, and short chain fatty acid sodium butyrate can alleviate these variation trends. The results proved that the intestinal microbiota enzyme systems were associated with serum metabolites, suggesting that the disturbance of intestinal microbiota and reduction of probiotics promoted the occurrence and development of NiONPs-induced liver fibrosis by affecting metabolic pathways.

BzATP reverses ferroptosis-induced gut microbiota disorders in collagen-induced arthritis mice

Recent studies suggested that altered gut microbiota may be related to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), albeit the exact mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we aimed to discover the particular mechanism of RA treatment by microbiota by investigating the effects of ferroptosis on gut microbiota and its metabolites in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice. Mice were divided into five groups: control, CIA, erastin, BzATP, and BzATP + erastin group. We performed 16S rDNA sequencing and metabolomics analysis on mouse feces and found that erastin and BzATP altered the microbiota and metabolites. The findings demonstrated that the microbiota was significantly disturbed at the phylum (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota) and genus level (Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium) in the CIA group, and erastin exacerbated this disturbance. Unexpectedly, BzATP treatment could repair the disruptive effects of erastin. Additionally, there were significant variations in metabolites between each group. Erastin worsened metabolite abnormalities in CIA mice, while BzATP mitigated them, consistent with the microbiota results. These findings provide novel perspectives and insights into the therapy of RA.

Intraperitoneal hepato-renal toxicity of zinc oxide and nickel oxide nanoparticles in male rats: biochemical, hematological and histopathological studies

In recent years, zinc oxide (ZnO) and nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles (NPs) have become more prevalent in commercial and industrial products. However, questions have been raised regarding their potential harm to human health. Limited studies have been conducted on their intraperitoneal toxicity in rats, and their co-exposure effects remain uncertain. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate some biological responses induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of ZnO-NPs (200 mg/kg) and/or NiO-NPs (50 mg/kg) in rats over time intervals. Blood and organ samples were collected from 36 male rats for hematological, biochemical, oxidative stress, and histological analysis. Results showed that the administration of NPs reduced the body and organ weights as well as red blood cell (RBC) indices and altered white blood cell (WBC) and platelet (PLT) counts. The experimental groups exhibited elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), creatinine (CREA), urea, lipid profile, glucose (GLU), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased uric acid (UA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH). Histological observations also revealed architectural damages in liver and kidneys. These alterations were time-dependent and varied in their degree of toxicity. Co-exposure of NPs initially lessened the damage but increased it afterwards compared to individual exposure. In conclusion, intraperitoneal injection of ZnO-NPs and/or NiO-NPs alters biological processes and induces oxidative stress in rats' liver and kidneys in a time-dependent manner, with NiO-NPs being more potent than ZnO-NPs. Furthermore, co-exposed NPs initially appeared to be antagonistic to one another while further aiming toward synergism.

Mediation Effect of Body Mass Index on the Association of Urinary Nickel Exposure with Serum Lipid Profiles

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of urinary nickel (U-Ni) exposure to serum lipid profiles and the mediation effect of body mass index (BMI) in a US general population. We analyzed the cross-sectional data from 3517 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2017-March 2020). Multivariable linear regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression were conducted to explore the association of U-Ni with four serum lipids and four lipids-derived indicators. Mediation analysis was performed to examine the effect of BMI on the relationship between U-Ni levels and serum lipid profiles. Compared with the lowest quartile, the β with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in the highest quartile were - 12.83 (- 19.42, - 6.25) for total cholesterol (TC) (P for trend < 0.001), - 12.76 (- 19.78, - 5.74) for non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) (P for trend = 0.001) and - 0.29 (- 0.51, - 0.07) for TC/HDL-C (P for trend = 0.007) in the fully adjusted model. RCS plots showed the linear association of log2-transformed U-Ni levels with TC, non-HDL-C and TC/HDL-C (P for nonlinearity = 0.294, 0.152, and 0.087, respectively). Besides, BMI decreased monotonically in correlation with increasing U-Ni levels (P for trend < 0.001). Mediation analysis revealed that BMI significantly mediated the relationship of U-Ni to TC, non-HDL-C and TC/HDL-C with mediated proportions of 11.17%, 22.20% and 36.44%, respectively. In summary, our findings suggest that BMI mediates the negative association of U-Ni with TC, non-HDL-C, and TC/HDL-C in the US general population.

The toxicity of nanoparticles and their interaction with cells: an in vitro metabolomic perspective

Nowadays, nanomaterials (NMs) are widely present in daily life due to their significant benefits, as demonstrated by their application in many fields such as biomedicine, engineering, food, cosmetics, sensing, and energy. However, the increasing production of NMs multiplies the chances of their release into the surrounding environment, making human exposure to NMs inevitable. Currently, nanotoxicology is a crucial field, which focuses on studying the toxicity of NMs. The toxicity or effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on the environment and humans can be preliminary assessed in vitro using cell models. However, the conventional cytotoxicity assays, such as the MTT assay, have some drawbacks including the possibility of interference with the studied NPs. Therefore, it is necessary to employ more advanced techniques that provide high throughput analysis and avoid interferences. In this case, metabolomics is one of the most powerful bioanalytical strategies to assess the toxicity of different materials. By measuring the metabolic change upon the introduction of a stimulus, this technique can reveal the molecular information of the toxicity induced by NPs. This provides the opportunity to design novel and efficient nanodrugs and minimizes the risks of NPs used in industry and other fields. Initially, this review summarizes the ways that NPs and cells interact and the NP parameters that play a role in this interaction, and then the assessment of these interactions using conventional assays and the challenges encountered are discussed. Subsequently, in the main part, we introduce the recent studies employing metabolomics for the assessment of these interactions in vitro.

Transcriptome and metabolome analyses reveal the interweaving of immune response and metabolic regulation in pelvic organ prolapse

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The pathogenesis of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) remains unknown. Herein, we aim to reveal the molecular profile of POP by transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis.

METHODS

We selected 12 samples of uterosacral ligaments (USLs) from 6 POP patients and 6 controls for transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the R package edgeR. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using clusterProfiler, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using STRING and visualized in Cytoscape. Metabolomic profiling was performed by a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry system.

RESULTS

Transcriptomic analysis identified 487 DEGs between the POP and control groups. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that they were mostly related to immune response terms, including "adaptive immune response," "T cell differentiation," and "T cell activation." In addition, PTPRC, LCK, CD247, IL2RB, CD2, CXR5, JUN, CD3E, IL2RG, and PRF1 were the 10 nodes with the highest node degrees in the PPI network. Metabolomic profiling revealed 290 differentially expressed metabolites, which significantly enriched in "glycerophospholipid metabolism," "nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism," "glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism," "arginine and proline metabolism," "pyrimidine metabolism," and "purine metabolism." Finally, integrated analysis revealed that the DEGs involved in these significantly enriched metabolic pathways included NT5C1A, GMPR, SDS, ALAS2, CARNS1, PYCR1, P4HA3, PGS1, and NMRK2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that the immune response and metabolic regulatory pathways are intertwined in POP and might provide new therapeutic targets.