Evaluating the Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Silver Nanoparticles on Development of Some Internal Organs in Mice: Liver Histomorphometry of Offspring

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely consumed in different fields of biology and exposure to them have increased. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of subcutaneous administration of silver nanoparticles during pregnancy on development of some internal organs and liver histomorphometry of mouse offspring. Fifteen pregnant NMRI female mice in three groups were subcutaneously administered every three days until delivery with 0 (control), 0.2, and 2 mg/kg of body weight (BW) of silver nanoparticles. Internal organs of five male and five female offspring from each groups were weighed following anesthesia on 28th day offspring. Histological liver sections were also prepared to assess histomorphometry of liver. Finally, results were analyzed according to the treatment and sex. There were no significant differences in offspring body weights (P > 0.05). Partial weight of spleen were lower in the group received 2 mg/kg nanoparticles compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Although liver partial weight were not significantly different between the groups (P > 0.05), the effect of silver nanoparticles on liver weight was influenced by the sex (P < 0.05), in a way that only the liver weight of male mice were increased (P < 0.05). Number of hepatocytes decreased and their size increased sex-independently in silver-nanoparticles-treated groups compared to control group (P < 0.01). Although exposure of pregnant mice to silver nanoparticles has no effect on the growth of their offspring, it leads to increased liver weight and liver structural changes.