Microscopy-based high-throughput assays enable multi-parametric analysis to assess adverse effects of nanomaterials in various cell lines

• Published in: Archives of toxicology Vol. 92; no. 2; pp. 633 - 649
• Main Authors: Hansjosten, Iris, Rapp, Juliane, Reiner, Luisa, Vatter, Ruben, Fritsch-Decker, Susanne, Peravali, Ravindra, Palosaari, Taina, Joossens, Elisabeth, Gerloff, Kirsten, Macko, Peter, Whelan, Maurice, Gilliland, Douglas, Ojea-Jimenez, Isaac, Monopoli, Marco P., Rocks, Louise, Garry, David, Dawson, Kenneth, Röttgermann, Peter J. F., Murschhauser, Alexandra, Rädler, Joachim O., Tang, Selina V. Y., Gooden, Pete, Belinga-Desaunay, Marie-France A., Khan, Abdullah O., Briffa, Sophie, Guggenheim, Emily, Papadiamantis, Anastasios, Lynch, Iseult, Valsami-Jones, Eugenia, Diabaté, Silvia, Weiss, Carsten
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.02.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acidification; Acute toxicity; Apoptosis; Biocompatibility; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Cell death; Cell lines; Cerium oxides; Chemical properties; Coating effects; Colon; Environmental Health; Hepatocytes; Immune system; In vivo methods and tests; Liver; Lungs; Membrane permeability; Membrane potential; Microscopy; Mitochondria; Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology; Nanotoxicology; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Organs; Parametric analysis; Parametric statistics; Permeability; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Side effects; Silicon dioxide; Steatosis; Surface properties; Titanium dioxide; Toxicity; Zinc oxide; Nanosafety; Manufactured nanomaterials; Toxicity; Cell death; High-throughput screening; Cell type specificity; Adverse outcome pathways
• ISSN: 0340-5761; 1432-0738
• DOI: 10.1007/s00204-017-2106-7

Manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) selected from a library of over 120 different MNMs with varied compositions, sizes, and surface coatings were tested by four different laboratories for toxicity by high-throughput/-content (HT/C) techniques. The selected particles comprise 14 MNMs composed of CeO 2 , Ag, TiO 2 , ZnO and SiO 2 with different coatings and surface characteristics at varying concentrations. The MNMs were tested in different mammalian cell lines at concentrations between 0.5 and 250 µg/mL to link physical–chemical properties to multiple adverse effects. The cell lines are derived from relevant organs such as liver, lung, colon and the immune system. Endpoints such as viable cell count, cell membrane permeability, apoptotic cell death, mitochondrial membrane potential, lysosomal acidification and steatosis have been studied. Soluble MNMs, Ag and ZnO, were toxic in all cell types. TiO 2 and SiO 2 MNMs also triggered toxicity in some, but not all, cell types and the cell type-specific effects were influenced by the specific coating and surface modification. CeO 2 MNMs were nearly ineffective in our test systems. Differentiated liver cells appear to be most sensitive to MNMs, Whereas most of the investigated MNMs showed no acute toxicity, it became clear that some show adverse effects dependent on the assay and cell line. Hence, it is advised that future nanosafety studies utilise a multi-parametric approach such as HT/C screening to avoid missing signs of toxicity. Furthermore, some of the cell type-specific effects should be followed up in more detail and might also provide an incentive to address potential adverse effects in vivo in the relevant organ.