title: Effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the function of MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells.
abstract: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) can be ingested directly when used in food, food packaging, drug delivery, and cosmetics. This study evaluated the cellular effects of ZnO NPs (50 and 100 nm diameter particle sizes) on the function of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. ZnO NPs showed cytotoxicity at concentrations of above 50 μg/ml, and there was no significant effect of the size on the cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs. Within the testing concentrations of 0.01~1 μg/ml, which did not cause a marked drop in cell viability, ZnO NPs (0.1 μg/ml) caused a significant elevation of alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen synthesis, mineralization, and osteocalcin content in the cells (P < 0.05). Moreover, pretreatment with ZnO NPs (0.01~1 μg/ml) significantly reduced antimycin A-induced cell damage by preventing mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation, complex IV inactivation, and ATP loss. Measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) indicated decrease in ROS level upon exposure to ZnO nanoparticles (0.01 μg/ml). Hence, our study indicated that ZnO nanoparticles can have protective effects on osteoblasts at low concentrations where there are little or no observable cytotoxic effects.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University Hospital, 1, Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 130-702, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Young Soon
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Young Seol
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Mi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000968:Antimycin A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000968:Antimycin A; D015034:Zinc Oxide