title: In vitro evaluation of silver nanoparticles on human tumoral and normal cells.
abstract: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which have well-known antimicrobial properties, are extensively used in various medical and general applications. Despite the widespread use of AgNPs, relatively few studies have been undertaken to determine the toxicity effects of AgNPs exposure. The aim of the present work was to study how AgNPs interact with four different human cell lines (hepatoma, leukemia, dermal and pulmonary fibroblast) in order to understand the impact of such nanomaterials on cellular biological functions. For toxicity evaluations, mitochondrial function (MTT assay) and membrane leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH assay) were assessed under control and exposed conditions (24, 48 and 72 h of exposure). Furthermore, we evaluated the protective effect of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) against AgNP-induced cytotoxicity. Results showed that mitochondrial function decreased in all cell lines exposed to AgNPs at 6.72-13.45 µg/ml. LDH leakage also increased in all cell lines exposed to AgNPs (6.72-13.45 µg/ml). However, the cytotoxic effect of AgNPs (13.45 µg/ml) was prevented by pretreatment of different concentrations of NAC (1-20 mM). Our findings indicate that AgNPs are cytotoxic on human tumor and normal cells, the tumor cells being more sensitive to the cytotoxic effect of AgNPs. In addition, NAC protects human cells from cytotoxicity of AgNPs, suggesting that oxidative stress is in part responsible of this effect.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrición, Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ávalos Fúnez
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isabel Haza
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mateo
authors.forename: Paloma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morales
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D019610:Cytoprotection; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D018030:Silver Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D018030:Silver Compounds; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D000111:Acetylcysteine