Aggravated liver steatosis in a modern dietary mouse model via long-term treatment of SiO2 nanoparticles in drinking water

Abstract SiO 2 nanoparticles (SNPs), which are abundant in water and are used for various applications, for example, as food additives and anticaking agents, are of growing concern because of rising exposure to human health. Research has reported low potential side effects in animal models treated with SNPs; however, a few in vivo studies have shown cause for concern. Presently, high-fat foods have changed our lives and increased the incidence rates of fatty liver, obesity, and overweight, and high-fat foods issue is prevalent in our modern society. To understand the rising SNPs exposure in life and modern dietary habits combined effect, we design experiments to study this research. Institute of Cancer Research mice fed a normal or high-fat diet were treated with different concentrations of SNPs for long-term effects. Blood and liver tissue were collected and prepared for blood biochemical assays, histology analysis, silicon and triglycerides (TGs) accumulation, immunohistochemistry, fibrosis staining, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining to analyze the influence of the combination of SNPs and a high-fat diet. This research found that the presence of SNPs in drinking water with the consumption of a high-fat diet was associated with the accumulation of SNPs and TGs in liver tissue, elevated aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels in serum, activation of fibrosis and inflammation, increased oxidative stress through 4-hydroxynonenal, and the development of liver steatosis. The results showed that the long-term effect of SNPs in drinking water might induce liver steatosis, particularly under modern dietary habits such as a high-fat diet. This study investigated the interactions between environmental nanoparticles, such as the long-term risk of exposure to SNPs, and dietary factors, suggesting a significant risk to liver health, especially in human health.