Gender difference in the toxicity of gold nanoclusters in mice

Objective To investigate the gender difference in vivo toxicity of gold nanoclusters in mice.Methods Glutatatione-Au nanoclusters (GSH-Au NCs) and albumin from bovine serum-Au nanoclusters (BSA-Au) NCs were synthesized,and then 24 female mice and 24 male mice were randomly parted into control group,GSH-Au NCs group and BSA-Au NCs group,respectively.Mice in treated group were injected 0.2 mL Au NCs intraperitoneally,and mice in control group were injected 0.2 ml NaCl solution.After 28 days treatment,the gender difference in vivo toxicity was evaluated by immune index,hematology,and biochemistry.Results Changes of RBC and WBC could be found in mice in GSH-Au NCs and BSA-Au NCs groups.The thymus index of female mice in BSA-Au NCs group increased.Meanwhile,the AST of female mice in GSH-Au NCs group increased,and ALT of male mice in BSA-Au NCs also increased.Meanwhile,significant changes could be found in CREA of mice in treated groups.Conclusion The female mice treated with BSA-Au NCs suffer more obvious immune response.Female and male mice suffer similar infection and inflammation,and changes can be found in liver of female and male mice.However,kidney of female mice in both treated groups was subiected to suffer damage. Key words: Gold nanoclusters; Toxicity; Gender difference