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Changes in DNA Methylation in Mouse Lungs after a Single Intra-Tracheal Administration of Nanomaterials
Ali M Tabish1,2, Katrien Poels1, Hyang-Min Byun3
1Centre for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Aims:
This study aimed to investigate the effects of nanomaterial (NM) exposure on DNA methylation.
Methods And Results:
Intra-tracheal administration of NM: gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of 5-, 60- and 250-nm diameter; single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at high dose of 2.5 mg/kg and low dose of 0.25 mg/kg for 48 h to BALB/c mice. Study showed deregulations in immune pathways in NM-induced toxicity in vivo. NM administration had the following DNA methylation effects: AuNP 60 nm induced CpG hypermethylation in Atm, Cdk and Gsr genes and hypomethylation in Gpx; Gsr and Trp53 showed changes in methylation between low- and high-dose AuNP, 60 and 250 nm respectively, and AuNP had size effects on methylation for Trp53.
Conclusion:
Epigenetics may be implicated in NM-induced disease pathways.
