Abstract
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) are increasingly used in consumer products, industrial and medical applications, raising concerns on their potential toxicity. The available in vitro and in vivo studies on these NPs show controversial results. Crystalline structure is the physicochemical characteristic that seems to influence mainly TiO2NPs toxicity, so its effect needs to be further studied. We aimed to study whether and how crystalline form influences potential cyto-genotoxic and inflammatory effects induced by two commercial TiO2NPs (TiO2-A, mainly anatase; TiO2-B, mainly rutile) in human alveolar A549 and bronchial BEAS-2B cells exposed to 1–40 µg/mL. Cell viability (WST-1), membrane damage (LDH release), IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α release (ELISA) and direct/oxidative DNA damage (fpg-comet assay) were evaluated. Physicochemical characterization included analysis of crystalline form (TEM and XRD), specific surface area (BET), agglomeration (DLS) and Z-potential (ELS). Our results show that TiO2-A NPs induce in BEAS-2B cytotoxicity and a slight inflammation and in A549 slight oxidative effects, whereas TiO2-B NPs induce genotoxic/oxidative effects in both cell lines, revealing different toxicity mechanisms for the two tested NPs. In conclusion, our study confirms the influence of crystalline form on cellular response, also demonstrating the suitability of our in vitro model to screen early TiO2NPs effects.
Highlights
Published: 19 January 2021Nano-Titanium dioxide has become the most highly used nanoparticle (NP) worldwide [1], occurring in daily products such as paints, plastics, papers, inks, foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics [2] and many personal care products [3]
Exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles can occur during manufacturing, handling and use [4,5] involving consumers, workers, researchers of Laboratories involved in the development and production of nanomaterials (NMs) [6]
In the present work we aimed to study whether and how crystalline form influences potential cyto-genotoxic and inflammatory effects induced by two commercial TiO2 NPs (A, 79% anatase; B, 81% rutile) in human lung cells
Summary
Nano-Titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2 ) has become the most highly used nanoparticle (NP) worldwide [1], occurring in daily products such as paints, plastics, papers, inks, foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics [2] and many personal care products [3]. Due to their widespread use and the consequent unintentional exposure, the concern about the potential toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) is raising. Exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles can occur during manufacturing, handling and use [4,5] involving consumers, workers, researchers of Laboratories involved in the development and production of nanomaterials (NMs) [6]. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has reclassified
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