title: Evaluation of the genotoxicity of cellulose nanofibers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Agricultural products and by products provide the primary materials for a variety of technological applications in diverse industrial sectors. Agro-industrial wastes, such as cotton and curaua fibers, are used to prepare nanofibers for use in thermoplastic films, where they are combined with polymeric matrices, and in biomedical applications such as tissue engineering, amongst other applications. The development of products containing nanofibers offers a promising alternative for the use of agricultural products, adding value to the chains of production. However, the emergence of new nanotechnological products demands that their risks to human health and the environment be evaluated. This has resulted in the creation of the new area of nanotoxicology, which addresses the toxicological aspects of these materials.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Contributing to these developments, the present work involved a genotoxicological study of different nanofibers, employing chromosomal aberration and comet assays, as well as cytogenetic and molecular analyses, to obtain preliminary information concerning nanofiber safety. The methodology consisted of exposure of Allium cepa roots, and animal cell cultures (lymphocytes and fibroblasts), to different types of nanofibers. Negative controls, without nanofibers present in the medium, were used for comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The nanofibers induced different responses according to the cell type used. In plant cells, the most genotoxic nanofibers were those derived from green, white, and brown cotton, and curaua, while genotoxicity in animal cells was observed using nanofibers from brown cotton and curaua. An important finding was that ruby cotton nanofibers did not cause any significant DNA breaks in the cell types employed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work demonstrates the feasibility of determining the genotoxic potential of nanofibers derived from plant cellulose to obtain information vital both for the future usage of these materials in agribusiness and for an understanding of their environmental impacts.
authors: Department of Biotechnology, University of Sorocaba, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil. renata.lima@prof.uniso.br
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: de Lima
authors: Leandro
authors: L
authors: Oliveira Feitosa
authors: Cintia
authors: C
authors: Rodrigues Maruyama
authors: Mariana
authors: M
authors: Abreu Barga
authors: Patrícia Cristina
authors: PC
authors: Yamawaki
authors: Isolda Jesus
authors: IJ
authors: Vieira
authors: Eliangela M
authors: EM
authors: Teixeira
authors: Ana Carolina
authors: AC
authors: Corrêa
authors: Luiz Henrique
authors: LH
authors: Caparelli Mattoso
authors: Leonardo
authors: L
authors: Fernandes Fraceto
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002482:Cellulose / Q000633:toxicity*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D020552:Comet Assay; D032561:Cotton Fiber; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008940:Mitotic Index; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology; D019697:Onions; D012639:Seeds; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose