A Gene Expression Profiling Approach to Study the Influence of Ultrafine Particles on Rat Lungs

In recent years, industrial or commercial products incorporating nanomaterials have triggered concerns for human health. Manufactured nanomaterials are unstable and tend to form secondary particles by agglomeration. Little is known about the cytotoxicity induced by nano-sized secondary particles dispersed in aqueous solution. In the present study, we have attempted to disperse ultrafine nickel oxide particles in water (Uf-NiO), characterize the physicochemical properties, and instill into the trachea of rat lungs. Analysis by inductively couple plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) revealed that the Uf-NiO particles began to be cleared from the lungs immediately after treatment, and that low levels of the particles were present at 6 months post-instillation. Genome-wide expression analysis using DNA microarray revealed that intratracheal instillation of Uf-NiO particles led to a rapid increase in the expression of chemokines and genes involved in inflammation. These changes were most pronounced at 1 week post-instillation with Uf-NiO. The expression of Mmp12 mRNA, encoding macrophage metalloelastase 12, was strongly induced immediately following intratracheal instillation. However, expression returned to control levels by 6 months post-instillation expression of various other genes categorized into the detection of chemical stimulus were increased at this time point, at which time the inflammatory response had diminished. These results suggest that residual Uf-NiO in the lungs subacutely initiated distinct cellular events through signal transduction after resolution of the inflammatory response. We conclude that gene expression analysis using DNA microarrays can be extremely useful in assessing the influence of utrafine particles on biological systems.