TiO2 nanoparticles induce cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in human alveolar cells (original) (raw)
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Journal of Applied Toxicology, 2014
The toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2-NPs), used in several applications, seems to be influenced by their specific physicochemical characteristics. Cyto-genotoxic and inflammatory effects induced by a mixture of 79% anatase/21% rutile TiO 2-NPs were investigated in human alveolar (A549) and bronchial (BEAS-2B) cells exposed to 1-40 μg ml-1 30 min, 2 and 24 h to assess potential pulmonary toxicity. The specific physicochemical properties such as crystallinity, NP size and shape, agglomerate size, surface charge and specific surface area (SSA) were analysed. Cytotoxic effects were studied by evaluating cell viability using the WST1 assay and membrane damage using LDH analysis. Direct/oxidative DNA damage was assessed by the Fpg-comet assay and the inflammatory potential was evaluated as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α release by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). In A549 cells no significant viability reduction and moderate membrane damage, only at the highest concentration, were detected, whereas BEAS-2B cells showed a significant viability reduction and early membrane damage starting from 10 μg ml-1. Direct/oxidative DNA damage at 40 μg ml-1 and increased IL-6 release at 5 μg ml-1 were found only in A549 cells after 2 h. The secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6, involved in the early acute inflammatory response, and oxidative DNA damage indicate the promotion of early and transient oxidative-inflammatory effects of tested TiO 2-NPs on human alveolar cells. The findings show a higher susceptibility of normal bronchial cells to cytotoxic effects and higher responsiveness of transformed alveolar cells to genotoxic, oxidative and early inflammatory effects induced by tested TiO 2-NPs. This different cell behaviour after TiO 2-NPs exposure suggests the use of both cell lines and multiple end-points to elucidate NP toxicity on the respiratory system.
Nanomaterials
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) are increasingly used in consumer products, industrial and medical applications, raising concerns on their potential toxicity. The available in vitro and in vivo studies on these NPs show controversial results. Crystalline structure is the physicochemical characteristic that seems to influence mainly TiO2NPs toxicity, so its effect needs to be further studied. We aimed to study whether and how crystalline form influences potential cyto-genotoxic and inflammatory effects induced by two commercial TiO2NPs (TiO2-A, mainly anatase; TiO2-B, mainly rutile) in human alveolar A549 and bronchial BEAS-2B cells exposed to 1–40 µg/mL. Cell viability (WST-1), membrane damage (LDH release), IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α release (ELISA) and direct/oxidative DNA damage (fpg-comet assay) were evaluated. Physicochemical characterization included analysis of crystalline form (TEM and XRD), specific surface area (BET), agglomeration (DLS) and Z-potential (ELS). Our resul...
Nanomaterials
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) have a wide variety of applications in many consumer products, including as food additives, increasing the concern about the possible hazards that TiO2 NPs may pose to human health. Although most previous studies have focused on the respiratory system, ingestion must also be considered as an important exposure route. Furthermore, after inhalation or ingestion, TiO2 NPs can reach several organs, such as the liver, brain or lungs. Taking this into consideration, the present study focuses on the uptake and potential genotoxicity (micronuclei induction) of TiO2 NPs on four human cell lines of diverse origin: lung cells (A549), liver cells (HepG2), glial cells (A172) and neurons (SH-SY5Y), using flow cytometry methods. Results showed a concentration-, time- and cell-type- dependent increase in TiO2 NPs uptake but no significant induction of micronuclei in any of the tested conditions. Data obtained reinforce the importance of cell model and testi...
Genotoxicity of inhaled nanosized TiO2 in mice
Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis, 2012
In vitro studies have suggested that nanosized titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) is genotoxic. The significance of these findings with respect to in vivo effects is unclear, as few in vivo studies on TiO 2 genotoxicity exist. Recently, nanosized TiO 2 administered in drinking water was reported to increase, e.g., micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) and DNA damage in leukocytes. Induction of micronuclei in mouse PCEs was earlier also described for pigment-grade TiO 2 administered intraperitoneally. The apparent systemic genotoxic effects have been suggested to reflect secondary genotoxicity of TiO 2 due to inflammation. However, a recent study suggested that induction of DNA damage in mouse bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells after intratracheal instillation of nanosized or fine TiO 2 is independent of inflammation. We examined here, if inhalation of freshly generated nanosized TiO 2 (74% anatase, 26% brookite; 5 days, 4 h/day) at 0.8, 7.2, and (the highest concentration allowing stable aerosol production) 28.5 mg/m 3 could induce genotoxic effects in C57BL/6J mice locally in the lungs or systematically in peripheral PCEs. DNA damage was assessed by the comet assay in lung epithelial alveolar type II and Clara cells sampled immediately following the exposure. MN were analyzed by acridine orange staining in blood PCEs collected 48 h after the last exposure. A dosedependent deposition of Ti in lung tissue was seen. Although the highest exposure level produced a clear increase in neutrophils in BAL fluid, indicating an inflammatory effect, no significant effect on the level of DNA damage in lung epithelial cells or micronuclei in PCEs was observed, suggesting no genotoxic effects by the 5-day inhalation exposure to nanosized TiO 2 anatase. Our inhalation exposure resulted in much lower systemic TiO 2 doses than the previous oral and intraperitoneal treatments, and lung epithelial cells probably received considerably less TiO 2 than BAL cells in the earlier intratracheal study.
Toxicology letters, 2017
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NP) are broadly used in a wide range of applications. Several studies have reported that TiO2 NP possess cytotoxic and genotoxic properties that could induce adverse health effects in humans. The FP7 Sanowork project was aimed to minimize occupational hazard and exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENM), including TiO2 NP, through the surface modification in order to avoid possible adverse toxic effects for humans. In this study we investigated cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and epigenetic properties of TiO2 NP uncoated and coated with silica or citrate, as well as of the benchmark material P25. We used a panel of in vitro assays in the human lung epithelial cell line A549, in order to better understand if the remediation strategy adopted was able to counteract possible toxic effects of uncoated TiO2 NP. Our results showed that the uncoated TiO2 NP were both cytotoxic and genotoxic, and the remediation strategy adopted did not reduce the adverse eff...
Toxicology Letters, 2010
Nanomaterials are defined as substances with at least one dimension smaller than 100nm in size and are used for a multitude of purposes. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO(2)-NPs) are an important material used as an additive in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Due to their high surface-to-mass index, TiO(2) nanoparticles show different physical and chemical characteristics compared to the bulk substance. The knowledge about geno- or cytotoxic effects of TiO(2)-NPs is incomplete since existing studies show contrary results. Human nasal mucosa cells were obtained from 10 donors and exposed to TiO(2)-NPs in increasing concentrations of 10, 25, 50 und 100mug/ml. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was applied to document particle morphology and size distribution, the degree of particle aggregation and the distribution of particles in inter- and intracellular spaces. Furthermore, DNA fragmentation and cytotoxicity caused by TiO(2)-NPs were evaluated. DNA strand breakage was detected by single-cell microgel electrophoresis (comet) assay. Cytotoxic effects were analyzed by trypan blue exclusion test and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) assay. TiO(2) particles used in this study were mainly nanosized but also showed a strong tendency to aggregate in spite of sonication of the suspension. Particles entered the cytoplasm in 11% and the cell nucleus in 4%. The trypan blue exclusion test and the FDA assay did not show any loss of cell viability. In the comet assay, there was no evidence of increased DNA damage for TiO(2)-NPs. In this pilot project, no cyto- or genotoxic effects could be shown for TiO(2)-NPs on human nasal epithelial cells. Further investigations will focus on a variety of metal oxide nanoparticles to describe the biocompatibility in the human organism.
Mutagenesis, 2017
The influence of surface charge of nanomaterials on toxicological effects is not yet fully understood. We investigated the inflammatory response, the acute phase response and the genotoxic effect of two different titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) following a single intratracheal instillation. NRCWE-001 was unmodified rutile TiO2 with endogenous negative surface charge, whereas NRCWE-002 was surface modified to be positively charged. C57BL/6J BomTac mice received 18, 54 and 162 µg/mouse and were humanely killed 1, 3 and 28 days post-exposure. Vehicle controls were tested alongside for comparison. The cellular composition and protein concentration were determined in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid as markers for an inflammatory response. Pulmonary and systemic genotoxicity was analysed by the alkaline comet assay as DNA strand breaks in BAL cells, lung and liver tissue. The pulmonary and hepatic acute phase response was analysed by Saa3 mRNA levels in lung tissue or Saa1 mR...
International Journal of Nanomedicine
Background: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles have numerous applications, resulting in human exposure. Nonetheless, available toxicological and safety data are insufficient regarding aspherical particles, such as rod-shaped nanoparticles. Methods: In a combined in vitro-in vivo approach, cultured A549 lung alveolar adenocarcinoma cells were treated with approximately 15×65 nm TiO 2 nanorod-containing medium, while young adult rats received the same substance by intratracheal instillation for 28 days in 5 and 18 mg/kg bodyweight doses. Nanoparticle accumulation in the lungs and consequent oxidative stress, cell damage, and inflammation were assessed by biochemical and histopathological methods. Results: Titanium was detected in tissue samples by single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Nanoparticles were visualized inside cultured A549 cells, within pulmonary macrophages, and in hilar lymph nodes of the rats. A549 cells showed dose-dependent oxidative stress and lethality, and the observed nanoparticle-laden endosomes suggested deranged lysosomal function and possible autophagy. Strongly elevated Ti levels were measured in the lungs of nanorod-treated rats and moderately elevated levels in the blood of the animals. Numerous cytokines, indicating acute and also chronic inflammation, were identified in the lung samples of TiO 2-exposed rodents. Conclusion: Several signs of cell and tissue damage were detected in both the cultured alveolar cells and in treated rats' lungs. Rod-shaped nanoparticulate TiO 2 may consequently be more harmful than has generally been supposed. The occupational health risk suggested by the results calls for improved safety measures.
Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA, 2016
The health risks of nanoparticles remain a serious concern given their prevalence from industrial and domestic use. The primary route of titanium dioxide nanoparticle exposure is inhalation. The extent to which nanoparticles contribute to cellular toxicity is known to associate induction of oxidative stress. To investigate this problem further, the effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles was examined on cell lines representative of alveolo-capillary barrier. The present study showed that all nanoparticle-exposed cell lines displayed ROS generation. Macrophage-like THP-1 and HPMEC-ST1.6R microvascular cells were sensitive to endogenous redox changes and underwent apoptosis, but not alveolar epithelial A549 cells. Genotoxic potential of titanium dioxide nanoparticles was investigated using the activation of γH2AX, activation of DNA repair proteins and cell cycle arrest. In the sensitive cell lines, DNA damage was persistent and activation of DNA repair pathways was observed. Moreover...
Evaluating the Use of TiO2 Nanoparticles for Toxicity Testing in Pulmonary A549 Cells
International Journal of Nanomedicine
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, 25 nm in size of crystallites (TiO 2 P25), are among the most produced nanomaterials worldwide. The broad use of TiO 2 P25 in material science has implied a request to evaluate their biological effects, especially in the lungs. Hence, the pulmonary A549 cell line has been used to estimate the effects of TiO 2 P25. However, the reports have provided dissimilar results on caused toxicity. Surprisingly, the physicochemical factors influencing TiO 2 P25 action in biological models have not been evaluated in most reports. Thus, the objective of the present study is to characterize the preparation of TiO 2 P25 for biological testing in A549 cells and to evaluate their biological effects. Methods: We determined the size and crystallinity of TiO 2 P25. We used four techniques for TiO 2 P25 dispersion. We estimated the colloid stability of TiO 2 P25 in distilled water, isotonic NaCl solution, and cell culture medium. We applied the optimal dispersion conditions for testing the biological effects of TiO 2 P25 (0-100 µg.mL −1) in A549 cells using biochemical assays (dehydrogenase activity, glutathione levels) and microscopy. Results: We found that the use of fetal bovine serum in culture medium is essential to maintain sufficient colloid stability of dispersed TiO 2 P25. Under these conditions, TiO 2 P25 were unable to induce a significant impairment of A549 cells according to the results of biochemical and microscopy evaluations. When the defined parameters for the use of TiO 2 P25 in A549 cells were met, similar results on the biological effects of TiO 2 P25 were obtained in two independent cell laboratories. Conclusion: We optimized the experimental conditions of TiO 2 P25 preparation for toxicity testing in A549 cells. The results presented here on TiO 2 P25-induced cellular effects are reproducible. Therefore, our results can be helpful for other researchers using TiO 2 P25 as a reference material.