title: Mutagenicity of ZnO nanoparticles in mammalian cells: Role of physicochemical transformations under the aging process.
abstract: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) potentially undergo physicochemical transformation in the environment, which may lead to unexpected environmental and health risks. The "aging" process is essential for better understanding the toxicity and fate of NPs in the environment. However, the mutagenic effects of aged ZnO NPs are still unexplored. The present study focused on investigating the physicochemical transformation during aging process and clarifying the mutagenicity of naturally aged ZnO NPs in human-hamster hybrid (AL) cells. It was found that ZnO NPs underwent sophisticated physicochemical transformations with aging regardless of original morphology or size, such as the microstructural changes, the formation of hydrozincite (Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6) and the release of free zinc ions. Interestingly, the aged ZnO NPs were investigated to be able to result in much lower cytotoxicity while relatively high degree mutation than fresh ZnO NPs. With characterization of the soluble and insoluble fractions of aged ZnO NPs suspension, together with the control measurements using metal chelator (TPEN) and endocytosis inhibitor (Nystatin), it was revealed that the release of zinc ions and nanoparticle uptake made significantly different contributions to the mutagenicity of fresh and aged ZnO NPs. This study clearly demonstrated that the physicochemical transformation of ZnO NPs with aging plays important and comprehensive roles in the ZnO NPs-induced mutagenicity in mammalian cells.
authors: a Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering , Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Province , Hefei , Anhui , PR China .
authors: Mei M
authors: MM
authors: Wang
authors: a Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering , Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Province , Hefei , Anhui , PR China .
authors: Yi C
authors: YC
authors: Wang
authors: a Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering , Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Province , Hefei , Anhui , PR China .
authors: Xi N
authors: XN
authors: Wang
authors: a Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering , Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Province , Hefei , Anhui , PR China .
authors: Yun
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: a Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering , Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Province , Hefei , Anhui , PR China .
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: b School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China , PR China , and.
authors: Jian W
authors: JW
authors: Zhang
authors: a Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering , Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Province , Hefei , Anhui , PR China .
authors: Qing
authors: Q
authors: Huang
authors: a Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering , Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Province , Hefei , Anhui , PR China .
authors: Shao P
authors: SP
authors: Chen
authors: c Department of Radiation Oncology , Center for Radiological Research, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University , NY , USA.
authors: Tom K
authors: TK
authors: Hei
authors: a Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering , Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Province , Hefei , Anhui , PR China .
authors: Li J
authors: LJ
authors: Wu
authors: a Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering , Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Province , Hefei , Anhui , PR China .
authors: An
authors: A
authors: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D006224:Cricetinae; D005029:Ethylenediamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D009153:Mutagens / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D009761:Nystatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D005029:Ethylenediamines; D009153:Mutagens; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C417308:hydrozincite; D009761:Nystatin; C044387:N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine; D015034:Zinc Oxide
keywords: Aging process; ZnO nanoparticles; human–hamster hybrid (AL) cell; mutagenicity; physicochemical transformation