Protective potential of fresh orange juice against zinc oxide nanoparticles-induced trans-placental and trans-generational toxicity in mice.

Due to the emerging applications of nanoparticles, human exposure to nanoparticles is unavoidable, particularly to zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), owing to their wide range of usage. The ongoing study aimed to evaluate trans-generational toxic potential of ZnO NPs through exposure to F0 mothers, in F1 pups and F1 mature offspring and the protective potential of fresh orange juice (OJ). Twenty-eight F0 mothers were randomly allocated into four groups (n = 7), control; untreated, dose group; exposed to ZnO NPs, dose+antidote group; coadministered ZnO NPs + OJ, antidote group; OJ, during the organogenetic period. Fifty percent of F0 mothers were subjected to cesarean sections on the 18th day of gestation and F1 pups were recovered, macro-photographed, and dissected for liver evisceration, while 50% of F0 mothers underwent standard delivery. After parturition, F1 offspring were examined, and the liver and blood samples were extracted. Observations showed that ZnO NPs exposure in F0 mothers in preparturition and postparturition resulted in decreased body weight, increased liver weight, and elevated levels of ALT and AST significantly p ≤ .05 as compared to the control and antidote groups. Histopathological analysis of maternal livers intoxicated with NPs showed the disruptive structure of central vein, hepatocytes, and Kupffer cells in F0 mothers, while F1 pups showed morphological deviations and distorted development of the liver tissue and congestion, in contrast to the control. F1 offspring of NPs exposed mothers, even at postnatal week 8 showed pyknotic nuclei and activated Kupffer cells in the liver sections against control. But in the case of the Dose+antidote group, alterations were less severe than in the dose group. It can be concluded that exposure to ZnO NPs instigates teratogenicity and hepatotoxicity in F1 pups, F0 mothers, and F1 offspring, respectively, while fresh orange juice acts as a remedial agent against the abovementioned toxicities.