Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are the most widely consumed nanomaterials, consequently raising public health concerns. One of the main routes of human exposure to AgNPs is oral, resulting in an extended exposure of the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) to their adverse effects. Preliminary data indicates pro-inflammatory effects of AgNPs at the GIT level, but there is a serious lack of information about the mechanisms involved. Moreover, little is known (2 published papers) about the protective effect of food matrix components against the harmful effects of AgNPs. With this project we want to disclose if dietary flavonoids, commonly consumed in our diet, can protect the gut from the deleterious pro-inflammatory effects of daily ingested AgNPs, based on 2 fundamental premises: our previous results clearly shown the antioxidant e anti-inflammatory activity of flavonoids and all ingested flavonoids are expected to exert biological actions mainly at the GIT level. This objective will be achieved by an interdisciplinary working team, constituted by people with a very broad range of coordinated expertize, working together to accomplish the several stages of this project. In particular, this project will comprise 4 linked and interdependent stages:
1. Characterization and evaluation of physicochemical characteristics of AgNPs;
2. In vitro assessment of the effect of AgNPs in several key points of the complex inflammatory cascade (cytokines, transcription factors, prostaglandins, reactive species, antioxidant enzymes), using a 3D co-culture that resembles the intestinal environment;
3. In vitro assessment of the protective effect of a panel of flavonoids against the above mentioned pro inflammatory AgNPs effects;
4. In vivo study that will integrate and testify the obtained in vitro results
This project associates two of today?s research hot topics: nanoparticles toxicity and positive health effects of food components, namely flavonoids. Taking advantage of the previous knowledge of the research team of the project about: the pro-inflammatory effect of nanoparticles and the search for flavonoid scaffolds, related with their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, it will be possible to clarify whether and how AgNPs induced pro-inflammatory effects in the intestine and also define the flavonoids structures and consequently the type of food that will be able to protect our organism against the harmful effects of AgNPs. Taking into account that the consumption of AgNPs cannot be avoided, to find a healthy alternative to diminished their side effects, could be of extreme importance and return quality of life mostly for the people with a propensity for development of inflammatory diseases.