Humans are exposed to manufactured nanoparticles such as ZnO – NPs by using products such as toothpaste, sunscreen, and cosmetics. Zinc oxide is widely used as a bulking agent or filler and can be found in many cosmetic products, medical products and toiletries. Studies have demonstrated that small amounts of zinc, in soluble form, may pass through the skin barrier. Thus, further study regarding their biological effects is highly significant. The purpose of this research is to discern the potential toxicological effects of manufactured zinc oxide nanoparticles at dosage range of 0.614 to 614 µM Zn on the pharyngeal pumping and neurological behaviors of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Whereas several studies have examined effects on behaviors, reproduction, lethality, insufficient attention has been allocated to the effects of the ZnO – NPs on the “heart” of the nematode, the pharynx which has been used as a model to study cardiac effects due to many conserved characteristics between C. elegans pharynx and the vertebrate heart. To investigate the consequences of ZnO – NPs on the neurological behavioral response and pharyngeal pumping of C. elegans, behavioral assays will be performed on C. elegans wild-type and mutant strains exposed to three different concentrations of manufactured ZnO – NPs for different exposure times. Preliminary data shows that ZnO – NP exposure at concentrations between 0.614 and 614 µM Zn results in decreased pharyngeal pumping and decreased neurological behavior as compared to control C. elegans. Gene expressions that are implicated in pumping regulation such as mtl-1, which functions in metal detoxification and homeostasis and in stress adaptation, and sod-1, which encodes a superoxide dismutase responsible for protecting cells from oxidative damage, in response to ZnO – NPs exposure will be detected and quantified. CEH-22, which activates pharyngeal muscle gene expression in combination with PHA-1, will be analyzed along with ceh-24, pha-1, pha-2, pha-3, and pha-4. Genes required for synchronized pharyngeal muscle contractions such as eat-2, eat-5, and eat-18 will be evaluated. Several other genes commonly expressed in pharyngeal muscles will be analyzed as well.

Effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the neurological behavior and pharyngeal pumping of C. elegans

254th National Meeting (2017)

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