Oxidative stress and toxicity induced by copper and zinc oxide nanoparticles in liver and kidney tissues of male mice

Copper and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles are widely used in pharmacy, cosmetics, agriculture and engineering fields according to their chemical and biological properties; their toxic effects on living systems up to the environment and humans are seen in physiological processes. The study included 60 male mice divided into 10 groups; 100 μl water as placebo in the control group, copper oxide (CuO-NP) and zinc oxide (ZnO-NP) nanoparticles and CuO-NP+ZnO-NP groups were administered oral gavage at different doses (1, 5 and 25 mg/kg/day) for 14 days to investigate the toxic effects on the tissues of male mice. Antioxidant enzyme activities glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and oxidative damage parameters glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) were measured in the tissues by spectrophotometric methods. Stress protein 70 (HSP70) and DNA oxidation (8-OHdG) levels were measured using ELISA methods. The exposure to CuO-NPs + ZnO-NPs, CuO-NPs, and ZnO-NPs resulted in changes in biochemical parameters in the liver and kidney tissues, with varying effects observed across the groups compared to the control. The most significant changes were observed in the CuO-NPs + ZnO-NPs group, including decreases in SOD, CAT activities, GSH levels and increases in GST activity, HSP70 and 8-OHdG levels. As the oxidative damage and biomolecular parameters stress protein and DNA oxidation were induced, which are consistent with the parameters of toxic effects in both examined tissues, the co-exposure to CuO-NPs and ZnO-NPs appears to suppress the antioxidant system, suggesting that these biomarkers may serve as potential indicators of tissue toxicity caused by nanoparticles.