Research
Cytotoxicity screening of 23 engineered nanomaterials using a test matrix of ten cell lines and three different assays
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* Corresponding author: Jürgen Schnekenburger schnekenburger@uni-muenster.de
1 Biomedizinisches Technologiezentrum, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Domagkstraße 3a, 48149 Münster, Germany
2 BASF SE, Polymer Physics Research, Ludwigshafen, Germany
3 Evonik Degussa GmbH, Inorganic Materials, Hanau, Germany
4 CWT Clean Tec AG, Halberstadt, Germany
5 Bayer Technology Services, Leverkusen, Germany
6 Solvay Infra Bad Hönningen GmbH, Bad Hönningen, Germany
7 Eawag, ETH Domain, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
Particle and Fibre Toxicology 2011, 8:9 doi:10.1186/1743-8977-8-9
Published: 23 February 2011Abstract
Background
Engineered nanomaterials display unique properties that may have impact on human health, and thus require a reliable evaluation of their potential toxicity. Here, we performed a standardized in vitro screening of 23 engineered nanomaterials. We thoroughly characterized the physicochemical properties of the nanomaterials and adapted three classical in vitro toxicity assays to eliminate nanomaterial interference. Nanomaterial toxicity was assessed in ten representative cell lines.
Results
Six nanomaterials induced oxidative cell stress while only a single nanomaterial reduced cellular metabolic activity and none of the particles affected cell viability. Results from heterogeneous and chemically identical particles suggested that surface chemistry, surface coating and chemical composition are likely determinants of nanomaterial toxicity. Individual cell lines differed significantly in their response, dependent on the particle type and the toxicity endpoint measured.
Conclusion
In vitro toxicity of the analyzed engineered nanomaterials cannot be attributed to a defined physicochemical property. Therefore, the accurate identification of nanomaterial cytotoxicity requires a matrix based on a set of sensitive cell lines and in vitro assays measuring different cytotoxicity endpoints.