title: In vitro evaluation of SiC nanoparticles impact on A549 pulmonary cells: cyto-, genotoxicity and oxidative stress.
abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) is considered a highly biocompatible material, consequently SiC nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed for potential applications in diverse areas of technology. Since no toxicological data are available for these NPs, the aim of this study was to draw their global toxicological profile on A549 lung epithelial cells, using a battery of classical in vitro assays. Five SiC-NPs, with varying diameters and Si/C ratios were used, and we show that these SiC-NPs are internalized in cells where they cause a significant, though limited, cytotoxic effect. Cell redox status is deeply disturbed: SiC-NP exposure cause reactive oxygen species production, glutathione depletion and inactivation of some antioxidant enzymes: glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, but not catalase. Finally, the alkaline comet assay shows that SiC-NPs are genotoxic. Taken together, these data prove that SiC-NPs biocompatibility should be revisited.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Structure et Dynamique par Résonance Magnétique, CEA-CNRS UMR3299 SIS2M, IRAMIS, CEA Saclay, bât 639 pce 10, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France. Sabrina.barillet@cea.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barillet
authors.forename: M-L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Jugan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laye
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leconte
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Herlin-Boime
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reynaud
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrière
mesh_terms: D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic / Q000633:toxicity*; D002374:Catalase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005562:Formazans / Q000737:chemistry; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic; D005562:Formazans; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; C079782:MTT formazan; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D005978:Glutathione; C022088:silicon carbide