Roles of ROS and cell cycle arrest in the genotoxicity induced by gold nanorod core/silver shell nanostructure

• Published in: Nanoscale research letters Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 224 - 13
• Main Authors: Wang, Dan, Dan, Mo, Ji, Yinglu, Wu, Xiaochun, Wang, Xue, Wen, Hairuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 07.12.2020; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Bioassays; Cell cycle; Cell cycle arrest; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chromosomes; Clastogenicity; Comet assay; Comet nuclei; Damage detection; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA damage; Genotoxicity; Gold; Gold nanorod core/silver shell nanostructures; HepaRG cells; Materials Science; Molecular Medicine; Nano Express; Nanochemistry; Nanoparticles; Nanorods; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Oxidative stress; Silver; Silver ions; Cell cycle arrest; Oxidative stress; Gold nanorod core/silver shell nanostructures; HepaRG cells; Genotoxicity; Silver ions
• ISSN: 1556-276X; 1931-7573; 1556-276X
• DOI: 10.1186/s11671-020-03455-1

To understand the genotoxicity induced in the liver by silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver ions, an engineered gold nanorod core/silver shell nanostructure (Au@Ag NR) and humanized hepatocyte HepaRG cells were used in this study. The involvement of oxidative stress and cell cycle arrest in the DNA and chromosome damage induced by 0.4–20 µg mL −1 Au@Ag NR were investigated by comet assay, γ-H2AX assay and micronucleus test. Further, the distribution of Au@Ag NR was analyzed. Our results demonstrated that both Ag + and Au@Ag NR led to DNA cleavage and chromosome damage (clastogenicity) in HepaRG cells and that the Au@Ag NR retained in the nucleus may further release Ag + , aggravating the damages, which are mainly caused by cell cycle arrest and ROS formation. The results reveal the correlation between the intracellular accumulation, Ag + ion release and the potential genotoxicity of AgNPs.