title: [Pyroptosis induced by zinc oxide nanoparticles in A549 cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether exposure to zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) induced pyroptosis in human alveolar type II epithelial cells (A549).
  
  
  METHODS
  A549 cells were stimulated with different concentrations of ZnO-NPs (10 and 20 microg/ml) for 8 and 24h, respectively. The activity of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and the levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in cell culture media were respectively measured by LDH activity kit and human IL-1beta ELISA kit. The activity of caspase-1 in A549 cells was detected by caspase-1 colorimetric assay kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 8h exposure to ZnO-NPs, there was no significant difference in the activity of LDH in the cell culture media among the ZnO-NPs-treated and control groups, but the activity of caspase-1 and the levels of IL-1beta in A549 cells were significantly increased in 20 microg/ml ZnO-NPs group compared to that in the control group (P < 0.05). Levels of IL-1beta and activity of LDH in the groups treated with ZnO-NPs (10 or 20 microg/ml) were significantly higher than that in the control group after 24 h exposure to ZnO-NPs, but there was no significant difference in the activity of caspase-1 among ZnO-NPs and control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ZnO-NPs (20 microg/ml) treatment induces early increase in caspase-1 activity followed by the increase in LDH activity and IL-1 levels, indicative of pyroptosis in A549 cells.
authors: Department of Occupational Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. sjyzzu@163.com
authors: Jinyan
authors: J
authors: Song
authors: Lipeng
authors: L
authors: Du
authors: Yanan
authors: Y
authors: Feng
authors: Weidong
authors: W
authors: Wu
authors: Zhen
authors: Z
authors: Yan
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D020170:Caspase 1; D015034:Zinc Oxide