title: Assessment of the toxicity of silver nanoparticles in vitro: a mitochondrial perspective.
abstract: The major toxicological concern associated with nanomaterials is the fact that some manufactured nanomaterials are redox active, and some particles transport across cell membranes, especially into mitochondria. Thus, evaluation of their toxicity upon acute exposure is essential. In this work, we evaluated the toxicity of silver nanoparticles (40 and 80 nm) and their effects in rat liver mitochondria bioenergetics. Wistar rat liver mitochondria demonstrate alterations in respiration and membrane potential capacities in the presence of either 40 or 80 nm silver nanoparticles. Our data demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, ADP-induced depolarization, and respiratory control ratio (RCR) upon exposure to silver nanoparticles. Our results show that silver nanoparticles cause impairment of mitochondrial function, due mainly to alterations of mitochondrial membrane permeability. This results in an uncoupling effect on the oxidative phosphorylation system. Thus, mitochondrial toxicity may have a central role in the toxicity resulting from exposure to silver nanoparticles.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: João S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Teodoro
authors.forename: Anabela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: Filipe V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Anabela P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Rolo
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Murdoch
authors.forename: Saber M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Carlos M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Palmeira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008933:Mitochondrial Swelling / Q000187:drug effects; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D010316:Particle Size; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018030:Silver Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute
chemical_list: D018030:Silver Compounds; D002118:Calcium