title: The Effect of Silica Nanoparticles on Human Corneal Epithelial Cells.
abstract: Ocular drug delivery is an interesting field in current research. Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) are promising drug carriers for ophthalmic drug delivery. However, little is known about the toxicity of SiNPs on ocular surface cells such as human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs). In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxicity induced by 50, 100 and 150 nm sizes of SiNPs on cultured HCECs for up to 48 hours. SiNPs were up-taken by HCECs inside cytoplasmic vacuoles. Cellular reactive oxygen species generation was mildly elevated, dose dependently, with SiNPs, but no significant decrease of cellular viability was observed up to concentrations of 100 μg/ml for three different sized SiNPs. Western blot assays revealed that both cellular autophagy and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways were activated with the addition of SiNPs. Our findings suggested that 50, 100 and 150 nm sized SiNPs did not induce significant cytotoxicity in cultured HCECs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Dongguk University, Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joo-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyejoong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jinkee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Dongguk University, Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Minwook
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Dongguk University, Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Roy S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Chuck
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jimmy K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Dongguk University, Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Choul-Yong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010316:Particle Size; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D055672:Static Electricity; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D005978:Glutathione