Effect of Long-Term Intake of Dietary Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Intestine Inflammation in Mice

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 67; no. 33; pp. 9382 - 9389
• Main Authors: Mu, Wei, Wang, Yong, Huang, Chao, Fu, Yijing, Li, Jingquan, Wang, Hui, Jia, Xudong, Ba, Qian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 21-08-2019
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Body Weight - drug effects; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - drug effects; Intestines - drug effects; Intestines - immunology; Intestines - microbiology; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Nanoparticles - metabolism; Nanoparticles - toxicity; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; Time Factors; Titanium - metabolism; Titanium - toxicity; TiO2 NPs; intestinal inflammation; immune response; gut flora; TiO NPs
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.9b02391

Early stage exposure of foodborne substances, such as brightening agent titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs), can cause long-term effects in adulthood. We aimed to explore the potential adverse effect of long-term dietary intake of TiO2 NPs. After feeding for 2–3 months from weaning, TiO2 NPs-exposed mice showed lower body weight and induced intestinal inflammation. However, this phenomenon was not observed in gut microbiota-removed mice. TiO2 NPs exposure rarely affected the diversity of microbial communities, but significantly decreased the abundance of several probiotic taxa including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Additionally, TiO2 NPs aggravated DSS-induced chronic colitis and immune response in vivo, and reduced the population of CD4+T cells, regulatory T cells, and macrophages in mesenteric lymph nodes. Therefore, dietary TiO2 NPs could interfere with the balance of immune system and dynamic of gut microbiome, which may result in low-grade intestinal inflammation and aggravated immunological response to external stimulus, thus introducing potential health risk.