Hazardous effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on testicular function in mice

Abstract

It has been reported that titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) show toxicity in organs such as liver, lung, and intestine. There is, however, only a limited number of reports regarding the effect of TiO₂ NPs on the male reproductive system. We examined the effect of TiO₂ NPs on testicular function using mouse model. TiO₂ NPs (Aeroxide P25) were evenly dispersed in disodium phosphate solution by sonication. Mice were treated intravenously with TiO₂ NPs (0, 2, or 10 mg/kg body weight) once per week for four weeks followed by sacrificing nine days after the last injection. The sperm head numbers and two sperm motion parameters, motile percent (MP) and progressive percent (PP), in the cauda epididymis were evaluated. TiO₂ NPs significantly reduced the sperm head numbers in the cauda epididymis and testis, further, the motility ratios of both MP and PP. These results indicated that TiO₂ NPs may possess hazardous effects on testicular function in mice.