TiO2-induced gene expression profiles in rat lung: a subacute inhalation study.

In this work we study the pulmonary toxicological properties of titanium dioxide using conventional and molecular toxicological approaches. For this, we exposed Fischer 344 rats by nose-only inhalation 6 hours/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks to a nanoaerosol of TiO2 (10 mg/m3). Lung samples have been collected up to 180 days after the end of exposure. Biochemical and cytological analyses of the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were performed. In addition, transcriptomic and proteomic approaches were realised in the lung and BALF respectively.