Objective To investigate the acute toxic effects of PM2.5 and nickel sulfate (NiSO4), a toxic metal components in PM2.5, on blood coagulation in Wistar rats.
Methods Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups for each experiment. In PM2.5 experiment, PM2.5 was administered by intratracheal instillation at the single dose of 0 mg/kg, 7.5 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg and 30mg/kg, respectively. In NiSO4 experiment, NiSO4 was administered under the same manner at the dose of 0 μg Ni/kg, 7.5 μg Ni/kg, 75 μg Ni/kg and 750 μg Ni/kg, respectively. PM2.5 at the dose of 15 mg/kg contains 7.5 μg Ni. The rats were sacrificed after 24 h of instillation, blood samples were collected and indices of blood coagulation (plasma prothrombin time (PT), plasma-activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT), fibrinogen(Fib), and tissue factor(TF))were measured.
Results PT levels in the plasma decreased significantly in PM2.5-treated rats compared with the control group, while there were no changes with APTT. Plasma fibrinogen increased significantly at 15 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg PM2.5 groups. The TF concentrations in plasma increased significantly at 7.5 mg/kg bw PM2.5 group, while the high-dosage groups (15, 30 mg/kg bw groups)only showed slight increase. The PT and APTT showed no changes in NiSO4-treated rats. Plasma fibrinogen levels increased significantly at 750 μg Ni/kg NiSO4-treated rats. The TF concentrations in plasma increased significantly at 75 μg Ni/kg and 750 μg Ni/kg dosage groups (P<0.05), there was a slight increase in low dosage(7.5 μg Ni/kg)group.
Conclusion PM2.5 induced changes in blood coagulation function in rats. The administration of NiSO4 to rats induced similar pathological changes caused by PM2.5. This study suggested that NiSO4 may partially contribute to the blood coagulative effects of PM2.5 on rats.
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