TOXICITY OF AMORPHOUS SILICA NANOPARTICLES IN MOUSE KERATINOCYTES
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
- ORNL
The present study was designed to examine the uptake, localization and the cytotoxic effects of well-dispersed amorphous silica nanoparticles in mouse keratinocytes (HEL-30). Mouse keratinocytes were exposed for 24h to various concentrations of amorphous silica nanoparticles in homogeneous suspensions of average size distribution (30, 48, 118 and 535 nm SiO2) then assessed for uptake and biochemical changes. Results of transmission electron microscopy revealed all sizes of silica were taken up into the cells and localized into the cytoplasm. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay shows LDH leakage was dose- and size-dependent with exposure to 30 and 48 nm nanoparticles. However, no LDH leakage was observed for either 118 or 535 nm nanoparticles. The mitochondrial viability assay (MTT) showed significant toxicity for 30 and 48 nm at high concentrations (100 g/mL) compare to the 118 and 535 nm particles. Further studies were carried out to investigate if cellular reduced GSH and mitochondria membrane potential are involved in the mechanism of SiO2 toxicity. The redox potential of cells (GSH) was reduced significantly at concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 g/mL at 30 nm nanoparticle exposures. However, silica nanoparticles larger than 30 nm showed no changes in GSH levels. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation did not show any significant change between controls and the exposed cells. In summary, amorphous silica nanoparticles below 100 nm induced cytotoxicity suggest size-of the particles is critical to produce biological effects.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC); Work for Others (WFO); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 947592
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Nanoparticle Research, Vol. 11, Issue 1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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