title: Size-dependent cytotoxicity of amorphous silica nanoparticles in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to compare the potential cytotoxicity induced by amorphous silica particles with different sizes. The effects of one fine particle (498 nm) and three nanoparticles (68, 43, and 19 nm) on cultured human hepatoma (HepG2) cells were investigated by detecting morphological changes, cell viability, cytomembrane integrity, DNA damage, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis after the cells were treated with 100 μg/mL of four silica particles for 24h. The results indicated that in HepG2 cells, the cytotoxicity generated by silica particles strongly depended on the particle size, and smaller silica particle possessed higher toxic effect. In order to further elucidate the possible mechanisms of cell injuries, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured. Increased ROS level was also observed in a size dependent way. However, the result showed the fine particle did not promote intracellular ROS level significantly, while cell injuries were detected in this treated group. Thus, our data demonstrated that exposure to different sizes of silica particles resulted in a size dependent cytotoxicity in cultured HepG2 cells, and ROS generation should be one possible damage pathway but might not be completely responsible for the toxic effect produced by silica particles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Minghua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Zhongjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Caixia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yanbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Peili
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhiwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004249:DNA Damage; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D010316:Particle Size; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012822:Silicon Dioxide