Analysis of cytotoxic effects of silver nanoclusters on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells ‘in vitro’ |
| |
| Authors: | Sandra Teresa Orta‐García Germán Plascencia‐Villa Angeles Catalina Ochoa‐Martínez Tania Ruiz‐Vera Francisco Javier Pérez‐Vázquez J Jesús Velázquez‐Salazar Miguel José Yacamán Hugo Ricardo Navarro‐Contreras Iván N. Pérez‐Maldonado |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Laboratorio de Toxicología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Aplicada en Ambiente y Salud (CIAAS), Coordinación para la Innovación y Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (CIACYT), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí. San Luis Potosí, México;2. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México;3. Department of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, Texas, USA;4. Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria Zona Media, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí San Luis Potosí, México |
| |
| Abstract: | ![]()
The antimicrobial properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have made these particles one of the most used nanomaterials in consumer products. Therefore, an understanding of the interactions (unwanted toxicity) between nanoparticles and human cells is of significant interest. The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro cytotoxicity effects of silver nanoclusters (AgNC, < 2 nm diameter) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Using flow cytometry and comet assay methods, we demonstrate that exposure of PBMC to AgNC induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, DNA damage and apoptosis at 3, 6 and 12 h, with a dose‐dependent response (0.1, 1, 3, 5 and 30 µg ml–1). Advanced electron microscopy imaging of complete and ultrathin‐sections of PBMC confirmed the cytotoxic effects and cell damage caused by AgNC. The present study showed that AgNC produced without coating agents induced significant cytotoxic effects on PBMC owing to their high aspect ratio and active surface area, even at much lower concentrations (<1 µg ml–1) than those applied in previous studies, resembling what would occur under real exposure conditions to nanosilver‐functionalized consumer products. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
| |
| Keywords: | apoptosis comet assay cytotoxicity nanoparticles oxidative stress PBMC silver nanoclusters |
|
|
