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

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. Overall design: 12 week old male F344 rats were exposed by nose-only inhalation 6 hours/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks to an aerosol of TiO2 P25 nanoparticles (Evonik, 10 mg/m3). TiO2-induced gene expression profile in rat lung was performed immediately, 3, 28, 90 and 180 days post exposure (5 time points).Each time point is compsed of 5 control and 5 exposed rats. A total of 50 samples (microarrays) was used.