10.6084/m9.figshare.3376390.v1
Alessandra Gallo
Alessandra
Gallo
Raffaele Boni
Raffaele
Boni
Isabella Buttino
Isabella
Buttino
Elisabetta Tosti
Elisabetta
Tosti
Spermiotoxicity of nickel nanoparticles in the marine invertebrate <i>Ciona intestinalis</i> (ascidians)
Taylor & Francis Group
2016
marine environment
sperm
marine organisms
ascidian
Ni NPs concentrations
Ni NPs exposure
toxicity end points
plasma membrane lipid peroxidation
marine invertebrate Ciona intestinalis
DNA
MMP
Ni NPs
2016-05-13 01:13:00
Dataset
https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Spermiotoxicity_of_nickel_nanoparticles_in_the_marine_invertebrate_i_Ciona_intestinalis_i_ascidians_/3376390
<p>Nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) are increasingly used in modern industries as catalysts, sensors, and in electronic applications. Due to this large use, their inputs into marine environment have significantly increased; however, the potential ecotoxicological effects in marine environment have so far received little attention. In particular, little is known on the impact of NPs on gamete quality of marine organisms and on the consequences on fertility potential. The present study examines, for the first time, the impact of Ni NPs exposure on sperm quality of the marine invertebrate <i>Ciona intestinalis</i> (ascidian). Several parameters related with sperm status such as plasma membrane lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), intracellular pH, DNA integrity, and fertilizing ability were assessed as toxicity end points after exposure to different Ni NPs concentrations. Ni NPs generate oxidative stress that in turn induces lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation, and alters MMP and sperm morphology. Furthermore, sperm exposure to Ni NPs affects their fertilizing ability and causes developmental anomalies in the offspring. All together, these results reveal a spermiotoxicity of Ni NPs in ascidians suggesting that the application of these NPs should be carefully assessed as to their potential toxic effects on the health of marine organisms that, in turn, may influence the ecological system. This study shows that ascidian sperm represent a suitable and sensitive tool for the investigation of the toxicity of NPs entered into marine environment, for defining the mechanisms of toxic action and for the environmental monitoring purpose.</p>