ABSTRACT: Exposure to titanium dioxide (TiO2) food additive by ingestion increased over the years. TiO2 is used in food to give a brighter, fresher colour to sweets, cookies, salad dressing under the name E171. New studies on E171 showed that after ingestion in a colorectal cancer mouse model, a significant increased number of colorectal tumours were found. In addition, short-term exposure to E171 induces gene expression changes in relation to oxidative stress responses, an impairment of the immune system, activation of signalling and cancer-related genes. Furthermore, dysregulation of the immune system was also observed after ingestion of E171 in rats. E171 comprises nanoparticles (NPs) and microparticles (MPs). Previous in vitro studies showed the capacity of E171, TiO2 NPs and MPs to induce oxidative stress, DNA damage, and induction of the micronuclei. The aim of our study was to investigate the relative contribution of the NPs and MPs fractions to the effects of E171 at the molecular level. This investigation was performed using in vitro exposure of Caco-2 cells to E171 as well as the NPs and MPs fractions of TiO2 and assessing effects with genome wide gene expression analysis. Results showed that the E171, TiO2 NPs and MPs induce gene expression changes in signalling, inflammation, immune system, transport, and cancer. Contribution of NPs was observed on genes involved in TLR cascade, MHC class I and II presentation, late cornified envelope, potassium channels, and cell cycle. MPs contribution was observed with changes in gene expression on a target to Hedgehog family, α-defensins, cadherin and cholinergic receptors. The gene expression changes associated with the immune system and inflammation induced by E171, MPs, and NPs suggest the creation of a favourable environment for cancer development.
