title: Cytotoxicity screening of 23 engineered nanomaterials using a test matrix of ten cell lines and three different assays.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Engineered nanomaterials display unique properties that may have impact on human health, and thus require a reliable evaluation of their potential toxicity. Here, we performed a standardized in vitro screening of 23 engineered nanomaterials. We thoroughly characterized the physicochemical properties of the nanomaterials and adapted three classical in vitro toxicity assays to eliminate nanomaterial interference. Nanomaterial toxicity was assessed in ten representative cell lines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six nanomaterials induced oxidative cell stress while only a single nanomaterial reduced cellular metabolic activity and none of the particles affected cell viability. Results from heterogeneous and chemically identical particles suggested that surface chemistry, surface coating and chemical composition are likely determinants of nanomaterial toxicity. Individual cell lines differed significantly in their response, dependent on the particle type and the toxicity endpoint measured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In vitro toxicity of the analyzed engineered nanomaterials cannot be attributed to a defined physicochemical property. Therefore, the accurate identification of nanomaterial cytotoxicity requires a matrix based on a set of sensitive cell lines and in vitro assays measuring different cytotoxicity endpoints.
authors.affiliation: Biomedizinisches Technologiezentrum, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Domagkstraße 3a, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kroll
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dierker
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rommel
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Wendel
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wohlleben
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schulze-Isfort
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Göbbert
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Voetz
authors.forename: Ferdinand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hardinghaus
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schnekenburger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010316:Particle Size; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D053260:Soot / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D053260:Soot