Alumina at 50 and 13 nm nanoparticle sizes have potential genotoxicity.
Although nanomaterials have the potential to improve human life, their sideline effects on human health seem to be inevitable and still are unknown. Some studies have investigated the genotoxicity of alumina nanoparticles (AlNPs); however, this effect is still unclear due to insufficient evaluation and conflicting results. Using a battery of standard genotoxic assays, the present study offers evidence of the genotoxicity associated with aluminum oxide (alumina) at NP sizes of 50 and 13 nm, when compared with bulk alumina (10 μm). The genotoxicity induced by alumina at bulk and NP sizes was evaluated with Ames test, comet test, micronucleus assay and sperm deformity test. The mechanism related to the induction of reactive oxygen species was explored as well. Our results showed that AlNPs (13 and 50 nm) were able to enter cells and induced DNA damage, micronucleus in bone marrow, sperm deformation and reactive oxygen species induction in a time-, dose- and size-dependent manner. Therefore, we conclude that AlNPs (13 and 50 nm), rather than bulk alumina, induce markers of genotoxicity in mice, with oxidative stress as a potential mechanism driving these genotoxic effects. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China.|Department of Pathology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA.
Qinli
0000-0002-9459-5943
Q
Zhang
School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China.
Haiyang
H
Wang
School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China.
Cuicui
C
Ge
Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA.
Jeremy
J
Duncan
School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China.
Kaihong
K
He
Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA.
Samuel O
SO
Adeosun
School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China.
Huaxin
H
Xi
School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China.
Huiting
H
Peng
School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China.
Qiao
Q
Niu
D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D020552:Comet Assay; D006224:Cricetinae; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity*; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010316:Particle Size; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000537:Aluminum Oxide
Ames test; alumina; comet test; genotoxicity; micronucleus assay; nanoparticles; reactive oxidative species; sperm deformity test