Selective Action of Amorphous Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles on the Blood and Some Organs of Opisthorchis felineus-Infected Mice in a Chronic Experiment

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The widespread use of nanotechnology means that humans contact with nanoparticles every day: orally, through the skin and lungs, or via medical treatment. Silicon dioxide (SiO2) is one of the most commonly used nanoparticles. The intake of SiO2 nanoparticles against the background of parasitic infections is a special case. We model the combination of two factors: consumption of water containing amorphous SiO2 nanoparticles by mice along with infection by Opisthorchis felineus (OF). The states of the liver, major opisthorchiasis target, and of immunocompetent organs, the spleen and thymus, were assessed. Changes in the blood, which connects all organs and systems in the body, were also considered. Prolonged consumption of the nanoparticles caused no significant changes in the assessed parameters in uninfected animals. Pronounced hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were caused by OF infection. Inflammatory infiltration and extensive fibrosis of the bile ducts persisted during the concurrent consumption of SiO2 nanoparticles. The enlarged spleen of OF + SiO2 mice showed most pronounced changes. In contrast, the consumption of silicon water normalized the relative levels of certain blood parameters that had changed during the OF infection. We infer that the action of amorphous SiO2 nanoparticles depends on the organ and the body’s overall physiological state.