Developmental and cartilaginous effects of protein-coated SiO2 nanoparticle corona complexes on zebrafish larvae

Protein-coated SiO2 nanoparticle (SNP) corona complexes of different sizes can be selected for various applications, and whether such materials have different degrees of toxicity is becoming a critical question. As the substance that is richest in proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA-V), is chosen to coat the two types of SNP to obtain SNP corona complexes with different diameters and surface charges, as well as alleviating agglomeration. Toxicity tests were performed in vivo using zebrafish as a platform. Hatch rates, mortalities, malformations and alcian blue-stained cartilaginous deformities were recorded using a stereomicroscope. The results verified that coating SNPs with BSA-V is a suitable method to control diameters and surface charges. The hatch rate results illustrated the concentration-dependent effect of the complex. The mortality results were increased from 54 hour post fertilization (hpf) to 120 hpf, explained by the change in LC50 values. The malformation incidence, average toxicity score of the malformations, and the vertebral column of the zebrafish further supported the idea that 50 nm NP corona complexes have more toxicity. The developmental stages of the zebrafish at 54 hpf is a novel and important time point for evaluating the toxicity of the complex. The results showed that the same protein-coated NP corona complexes had different surface characters and toxicity extents. The 50 nm NP corona complexes are more toxic than the 15 nm NP corona complexes during developmental stages. Meanwhile the cartilaginous toxicity of the vertebral columns provided further explanation.