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A substantial increase in engineered nanoparticles in consumer products has been observed, heightening human and environmental exposure. Inhalation represents the primary route of human exposure, necessitating a focus on lung toxicity studies. However, to avoid ethical concerns the use of in vitro models is an efficient alternative to in vivo models. This study utilized an in vitro human alveolar barrier model at air-liquid-interface with four cell lines, for evaluating the biological effects of different gold nanoparticles. Exposure to PEGylated gold nanospheres, nanorods, and nanostars did not significantly impact viability after 24 h, yet all AuNPs induced cytotoxicity in the form of membrane integrity impairment. Gold quantification revealed cellular uptake and transport. Transcriptomic analysis identified gene expression changes, particularly related to the enhancement of immune cells. Despite limited impact, distinct effects were observed, emphasizing the influence of nanoparticles physicochemical parameters while demonstrating the model's efficacy in investigating particle biological effects.

The influence of short term (7-day) exposure of male rats to the brominated flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) was studied by investigation of the liver proteome, both in euthyroid and hypothyroid rats and by comparing results with general data on animal physiology and thyroid hormone, leptin, insulin and gonadotropin concentrations determined in parallel. Proteome analysis of liver tissue by two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) revealed that only small protein pattern changes were induced by exposure in males, on just a few proteins with different functions and not involved in pathways in common. This is in contrast to previous findings in similarly exposed eu- and hypothyroid female rats, where general metabolic pathways had been shown to be affected. The largest gender-dependent effects concerned basal concentrations of liver proteins already in control and hypothyroid animals, involving mainly the pathways which were also differently affected by HBCD exposure. Among them were differences in lipid metabolism, which-upon exposure to HBCD-may also be the reason for the considerably higher ratio of γ-HBCD accumulated in white adipose tissue of exposed female rats compared to males. The results further elucidate the already suggested different sensitivity of genders towards HBCD exposure on the protein level, and confirm the need for undertaking toxicological animal experiments in both genders.

This thesis focuses on a modern analytical method, proteomics, to investigate its use in the field of toxicological research. Proteomics is a high resolution method which separates all proteins present in a sample at a clearly defined state and compares this pattern to another one, under slightly different conditions (e.g. after exposure to a chemical). Protein changes may give rise to or reflect disease/harm of the individual and can be attributed to alterations in body functions/regulation systems. Analysis conditions and different varieties of proteomic methods are explained, and a brief introduction given where proteomics is already applied in toxicology. A specific investigation has been performed with the flame retardant HBCD (i.e. hexabromocyclododecane). It is a compound that accumulates in lipid tissue from where it is only slowly removed. Its mechanism of action is not yet completely understood and sometimes seems to be contradictory. Rats were exposed to HBCD in very low doses for just one week and liver proteins were compared to those of unexposed animals. As HBCD is suggested to disturb the thyroid system, both healthy and hypothyroid rats were investigated, of both genders. In female rats, not in males, some specific liver protein changes were seen in glucose/carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and also in some stress related proteins. Changes were not dependent on the thyroid function of the females. These results are in line with previous findings that female rats were more susceptible to HBCD than males. In a further step, protein patterns of unexposed animals of both genders were compared, revealing gender-dependent differences that exceeded the effects seen in any of the other comparisons, mainly in the pathways that were also affected by HBCD in females. A previous proteomic study on serum proteins has also shown clear gender-dependent concentration differences in rats. This underlines the importance of performing studies both in female and male i

Female Wistar rats with different thyroid status (eu-, hypothyroid) were exposed to 0, 3 or 30 mg/kg body weight of the flame retardant HBCD for 7 days. Changes in protein patterns obtained by 2D-DIGE were evaluated, and different animal groups compared taking into account their exposure and thyroid status. Proteins significantly altered in abundance in any of these comparisons were identified by mass spectrometry. These data, together with hormone data of the animals, are discussed in "Hexa-bromocyclododecane (HBCD) induced changes in the liver proteome of eu- and hypothyroid female rats" (Miller et al., 2016) [1].

Male Wistar rats with different thyroid status (eu-, hypothyroid) were exposed to 0, 3 or 30 mg/kg body weight of the flame retardant HBCD for 7 days and obtained data compared with a previous study in females, “Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) induced changes in the liver proteome of eu- and hypothyroid female rats” (Miller et al., 2016) [1]. Specifically, proteomic investigation of liver protein patterns obtained by 2D-DIGE was performed and differences between animals groups recorded, based on the factors exposure, thyroid status and gender. All proteins with significantly changed abundance in any of these comparisons were identified by mass spectrometry. General, hormone and proteomic data of both the present and the previous studies are discussed in Miller et al. (2016) [1] and in “Gender specific differences in the liver proteome of rats exposed to hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)” Miller et al. (2016) [2].