SiO₂ Nanoparticule-induced size-dependent genotoxicity – an in vitro study using sister chromatid exchange, micronucleus and comet assay

Abstract

Fine particles with a characteristic size smaller than 100 nm (i.e. nanoparticlesspread out in nowadays life. Silicon or Si, is one of the most abundant chemical elements found on the Earth. Its oxide forms, such as silicate (SiO₄) and silicon dioxide, also known as silica (SiO₂), are the main constituents of sand and quartz contributing to 90% of the Earth's crust. In this work, three genotoxicity systems “sister chromatid exchange, cytokinesis block micronucleus test and single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay” were employed to provide further insight into the cytotoxic and mutagenic/genotoxic potential of SiO₂ nanoparticules (particle size 6 nm, 20 nm, 50 nm) in cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes as in vitro. It was observed that there is a significant decrease in Mitotic index (MI), Cytokinesis block proliferation index (CBPI), proliferation index (PRI) values expressed as Cell Kinetic parameters compared with negative control (p < 0.05). There is a statistically significant difference between negative control culture and culture exposed to SiO₂ (6 nm, 20 nm, 50 nm) (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, respectively). It is found that SiO₂ nanoparticles at different size (6, 20, 50 nm) progressively increased the SCE frequency and DNA damage on the basis the AU values compared with negative control (p < 0.05). Results showed that the genotoxic/mutagenic and cytotoxic effects of SiO₂ nanoparticules is dependent to particule size.

• Blood lymphocytes
• cytotoxicty
• genotoxicity
• micronucleus
• nanomaterial
• single cell gel electrophoresis
• SiO₂
• sister chromatid exchange

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their thanks to Prof. Dr. Gokhan Coral and his Ph.D. student Pınar Küce Çevik for their helps in fluorescence microscopic examination.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Notice of Correction:

Since the original publication of this article online ahead of print on 24 June 2014, the authors had noticed that a contributing author was mistakenly omitted from the author list. Ülkü Çömelekoǧlu has been added and the affiliation details have been updated in this version.