Close association of intestinal autofluorescence with the formation of severe oxidative damage in intestine of nematodes chronically exposed to Al2O3-nanoparticle

Abstract In nematodes, acute exposure (24-h) to 8.1–30.6 mg/L Al 2 O 3 -nanoparticles (NPs) or Al 2 O 3 did not influence intestinal autofluorescence, whereas chronic exposure (10-d) to Al 2 O 3 -NPs at concentrations of 8.1–30.6 mg/L or Al 2 O 3 at concentrations of 23.1–30.6 mg/L induced significant increases of intestinal lipofuscin accumulation, and formation of severe stress response and oxidative damage in intestines. Moreover, significant differences of intestinal autofluorescence, stress response and oxidative damage in intestines of Al 2 O 3 -NPs exposed nematodes from those in Al 2 O 3 exposed nematodes were detected at examined concentrations. Oxidative damage in intestine was significantly correlated with intestinal autofluorescence in exposed nematodes, and oxidative damage in intestine was more closely associated with intestinal autofluorescence in nematodes exposed to Al 2 O 3 -NPs than exposed to Al 2 O 3 . Thus, chronic exposure to Al 2 O 3 -NPs may cause adverse effects on intestinal lipofuscin accumulation by inducing the formation of more severe oxidative stress in intestines than exposure to Al 2 O 3 in nematodes.