Jayeeta Sengupta, Sourav Ghosh, Aparna Gomes and Antony Gomes
Immuno-Potentiating Activity of Gold Nanoparticles on Experimental Animal Models
Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have found their application in various fields of biomedical science. The immunological behaviour portrayed by GNP has been of great interest and not studied well. In the present study, the immuno potentiation property of GNP (40-50 nm) has been explored by studying the effect on immuno competent cells and immuno deficient animal models. Single dose exposure of GNP was given to male albino mice and total count of spleen, lungs and thymic lymphocyte and peritoneal macrophage was studied. Immuno deficient animal models were established (using UV rays and cyclophosphamide) and effect of GNP was studied through the total WBC count, macrophage count and haemagglutination titre value. It was observed that single dose exposure of GNP resulted a significant rise in WBC count, lung, spleenic and thymic lymphocyte count. In UV and cyclophosphamide (CP) induced immuno deficient animal model, GNP showed immuno stimulation by increasing WBC count significantly and restoration of macrophage count compared to the immuno deficient group. Humoral immunity of immuno deficient animals was decreased by UV and CP, observed through low haemagglutination titer value. GNP was found to increase the circulating antibody titre value in UV and CP induced immuno deficient animals. This study indicated that GNP has immuno potentiation capacity in immuno compromised and immuno deficient animal models. This study could bring forward new dimensions in combating immuno deficiency related problems (due to microbial infections, chemotherapy, AIDS) by GNP. The immuno potentiation property of GNP may be utilized in certain immuno deficient pathophysiological condition and may provide double protection. Further detailed study at molecular level (involving immunomodulatory markers) may enrich the concept.
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