Seminer: “Laser Material Processing Lead to Nanotoxicity,” Canan Kurşungöz, UNAM Konferans Salonu, 13:40 14 Aralık (EN)

MSN GRADUATE SEMINAR SERIES: Laser Material Processing Lead to Nanotoxicity by Canan Kurşungöz

Nanoparticles produced during material processing by laser ablation in industry are inhaled by the employees. After exposure to nanoparticles, they access to systemic circulation of animals and accumulate in their target organs causing impairments in cellular functions. In addition, nanoparticles gaining access to brain via both systemic circulation and olfactory nerve has been shown to cause neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation. In my thesis study, we aimed to define the amount and characteristics of nanoparticles released during material processing by laser ablation, and the effect of nanoparticles on learning-memory and mood of rats exposed to those nanoparticles via behavioral tests, electrophysiological and molecular methods. Adolescent rats (4 weeks-old, n=35) were exposed to the nanoparticles for a total of 90 days and for 2 hours per day in a closed envoriment where laser ablation took place. Each group of rats exposed to a single metal nanoparticle (copper, aluminium or tin). In rats exposed to CuNP and SnNP displayed impairments in the induction of long-term potentiation, without manifest alterations in behavioral tests. ICP-MS and TEM analysis revealed the presence of nanoparticles in almost all organs, including different regions of brain, indicating nanoparticles gained access to systemic circulation by inhalation. In hippocampi collected from rats exposed to SnNP and AlNP, the expression levels of NMDA receptor subunits, namely NMDAR1 and NMDAR2a, were found to be increased. In addition, nanoparticles administrated to SH-SY5Y cell lines were shown to cause toxicity in a dose-dependent manner. All those findings indicates that nanoparticles released to the air during material processing by laser ablation can accumulate in almost all vital organs of humans, as well as different regions of brains. Molecular studies examining the changes in NMDA receptor subunits imply that there may be significant effects of those nanoparticles on learning and memory in the long term.
About the speaker: Canan Kurşungöz obtained her B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees Department of Biological Sciences at Middle East Technical University (METU) in 2008 and 2012, respectively. Currently she is a Ph.D. candidate in Materials Science and Nanotechnology department at National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM). She was awarded the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Doctorate Fellowship for prior research theses. Her doctoral study is about the toxicological effects of nanoparticles which are produced by pulsed laser ablation technique, mainly with the focus of the effects on central nervous system.

Date: December 14, Wednesday
Time: 13:40
Place: UNAM Conference Room