The effect of gold nanoparticle on renal function in rats

Objective(s):   This study aimed to address the gold nanoparticle(GNP)-dose and exposure duration effect on the kidney function of rats: in vivo.   Materials and Methods: A total of 32 healthy male Wistar rats were used in this study. Animals were randomly divided into groups, three GNP-treated groups and control group. Group 1, 2 and 3 received. /5 cc of solution containing 5, 10,100 ppm Au via IP injection for 7 successive days, respectively. The control group was treated with 0.5% normal saline. Several biochemical parameters such as BUN (blood urea nitrogen), creatine and uric acid were evaluated at various time points (7 and 14 days). After 14 days, the tissue of kidney was collected and investigated.   Results: There was no significant difference between the control and the intervention group regarding the amount of creatine-BUN and uric acid. The amount of creatine-BUN and uric acid showed increase in all the groups [except group1 (creatine) and group 2 (uric acid)] in the 7 and 14 days after intervention compared to the control group, but this difference was not significant. Results of histopatological tissue kidney showed: in group 1 and 3, complete destruction of the proximal tubules and distal cortical, in group 2, almost complete destruction of proximal tubules and distal.   Conclusions: The induced histological alterations might be an indication of injured renal tubules due to GNPs toxicity that become unable to deal with the accumulated residues resulting from metabolic and structural disturbances caused by these NPs