Effect of Molybdenum Trioxide Nanoparticles (MoO3 NPs) on Thyroid Hormones in Female Rats

Background; In recent years, nanoparticles have been increasingly used in industries. However, there is a serious lack of information concerning their impact on human health and the environment. This study was investigated the effect of MoO3 NPs on thyroid hormones in female rats. Methods; In this study, 21 female Wistar rats were selected and divided into three groups of untreated control, sham and treatment group with seven rats in each group. During 28 days the sham group received normal saline and treatment group received 5 mg/kg (MoO3 NPs) in normal saline. After the final injection, blood samples were collected and serum levels of total thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured and groups were compared together. Results; The results showed that the serum levels of T4 decreased significantly in group of 5 mg (MoO3 NPs) in comparison with the control group (p<0.05). However, there was insignificant difference observed in T3 levels when compared with the control group (p>0.05). The serum levels of TSH increased significantly in group of 5 mg/kg (MoO3 NPs) when compared with the both groups of sham and control (p<0.05). Conclusion; The results showed that MoO3 NPs exposure induces the risk of thyroid dysfunction.