Effect of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle Exposure on the Ocular Surface: An Animal Study

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle exposure on the ocular surface. Methods: Eighty eyes of 40 rabbits were used. The TiO2-1D group (n = 20) received a single instillation of TiO2 in the right eye. The TiO2-4D group (n = 20) received a TiO2 instillation in the right eye once a day for four days. The 40 untreated left eyes were used as controls. Ocular surface staining (n = 5 for each group) was performed with rose bengal dye, tear secretion (n = 5) was measured using the phenol red thread test, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity (n = 5) and MUC5AC levels (n = 5) were measured in tears, and the area of the conjunctival goblet cells (n = 5) was measured through impression cytology and scanning electron microscopy 24 hours after the last TiO2 instillation. Results: Ocular surface staining was increased but the tear secretion was not changed after TiO2 exposure. The TiO2-1D (1.39 OD) and TiO2-4D groups (0.58 OD) had higher median tear LDH activity than the control groups (0.57 OD and 0.29 OD, respectively). Although the median tear MUC5AC level in the TiO2-1D group (92.7 ng/ml) was higher than that of control 1 group (37.4 ng/ml), there was no significant difference in MUC5AC levels between the TiO2-4D and control 2 groups. Conjunctival goblet cell area decreased after TiO2 exposure. Conclusions: Exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles induced ocular surface damage. Although the tear MUC5AC level increased after a single exposure, it decreased to normal levels after repeated exposures. The area of conjunctival goblet cells decreased after TiO2 exposure.