Towards understanding mechanisms governing cytotoxicity of metal oxides nanoparticles: Hints from nano-QSAR studies

Abstract

The production of nanomaterials increases every year exponentially and therefore the probability these novel materials that they could cause adverse outcomes for human health and the environment also expands rapidly. We proposed two types of mechanisms of toxic action that are collectively applied in a nano-QSAR model, which provides governance over the toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles to the human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). The combined experimental–theoretical studies allowed the development of an interpretative nano-QSAR model describing the toxicity of 18 nano-metal oxides to the HaCaT cell line, which is a common in vitro model for keratinocyte response during toxic dermal exposure. The comparison of the toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles to bacteria Escherichia coli (prokaryotic system) and a human keratinocyte cell line (eukaryotic system), resulted in the hypothesis that different modes of toxic action occur between prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems.

• HaCaT
• nano-metal oxides
• nano-QSAR
• nanoparticles
• toxicity

Acknowledgements

This material is based on research sponsored by 711 HPW/RHD under agreement number FA8650-10-2-6062. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Governmental purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation thereon. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of 711 HPW/RHD or the U.S. Government. The authors thank for support of the NSF CREST Interdisciplinary Nanotoxicity Center NSF-CREST – Grant # HRD-0833178 and NSF-EPSCoR Award #: 362492-190200-01\NSFEPS-0903787. This work was supported by the Polish National Science Center (grant no. UMO-2011/01/M/NZ7/01445). The authors would also like to thank Ms. Elizabeth Maurer for all of her work on the characterization of the nanomaterials.

Declaration of interest

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

Supplementary material available online Supplementary Tables S1–S6 Supplementary Figures S1–S2