Repercussões fetais do tratamento com nanopartícula de ouro (aunp) durante a prenhez de ratas

Abstract

Nanomedicine studies the structures and functions of living cells at the genetic and molecular levels and is a promising field of medical science. Despite the great potential of nanotechnology use, the nanomaterials cause concerns about their toxicity and ability to lead to inflammatory effects in human cells. The biocompatibility of nanoparticles cause doubts about the reproductive and fetal repercussions, since there is a possibility of passage through the placental membrane. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the fetal repercussions of the treatment with the gold nanoparticle (AuNP) during the pregnancy of rats. For this, the rats were mated and distributed into two experimental groups, with 12 animals in each group. A Control group consisting of pregnant rats that received filtered water, simulating the treatment of the treated group; and a Treated group consisting of pregnant rats that received AuNP. The animals received water or 137.5 mg/kg of AuNP intragastrically (gavage) in the morning during the entire experimental period (day 0 to 21 of pregnancy). On the 21st day of pregnancy, the rats were anesthetized and submitted to laparotomy and exposure of the uterine horns. Fetuses and their placentas were removed and weighed, and the fetuses processed for anomaly analysis. Treatment with AuNP reduced placental weight, but the ossification sites and fetal body weight did not differ statistically between groups, showing that even with the reduction in placental weight, the fetuses developed normally. Fetuses from the group of rats treated with AuNP showed a decrease in anomalies. Therefore, the gold nanoparticle at a dose of 137.5 mg/kg administered orally during pregnancy do not alter fetal development and do not cause embryotoxic effects, demonstrating that in these experimental conditions it was safe for the fetus.